There are many things can go wrong during labor and delivery. While many of the injuries sustained during birth will heal on their own, other types of birth injury can lead to lifelong problems such as learning disabilities, paralysis, and a shortened lifespan. Learn more about the most common types of birth injuries, their symptoms, and how they may affect your child in this week’s blog.
Caput succedaneum
This birth injury is characterized by swelling of the delicate tissues of an infant’s scalp. It generally develops during the infant’s descent through the birth canal. Caput succedaneum is not considered dangerous and will usually resolve itself in a few days. It is more likely to occur in births that were aided by vacuum extraction.
Cephalohematoma
Cephalohematoma causes bleeding underneath a child’s cranial bones. It will generally present a few hours after birth and will look like a lump on an infant’s head. The baby’s body will eventually reabsorb the blood and the bump will disappear on its own. It may take between 2 weeks and 3 months to disappear, depending on the size. If the bleeding area is large, it may cause the child to develop jaundice.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage
A subconjunctival hemorrhage will cause burst blood vessels in a child’s eyes. This birth injury is recognizable as soon as the child opens its eyes as the whites will contain a bright band of red. While unsettling, this is a very common birth injury that generally does not cause any vision problems. The child’s body will absorb the blood vessels so redness will disappear within 2 weeks.
Brachial plexus palsy
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that control the movements of the arms and the hands. When this group of nerves is damaged during birth, it can lead to paralysis which is referred to as brachial plexus palsy. This birth injury is often caused by medical negligence and if this was the case for your child, speak to an experienced birth injury lawyer to find out whether you may be able to pursue compensation for your child’s injury.
If you believe you may have been a victim of birth injury medical malpractice in Maryland, contact The Snyder Litigation team's medical malpractice attorneys in Baltimore, Maryland for a free consultation. Our team of medical malpractice attorneys in Baltimore takes only the best of the best cases with the intent of bringing them to the finish line. We have more than 50 years of combined experience and have obtained more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. Please follow us on our blog, as well as on our Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn pages.