Utah Birth Injury Attorney Talks about Brain Injuries at Birth
            

Many parents-to-be don’t know that when they go into the delivery room, there is a risk that their baby will suffer a brain injury during birth. Unfortunately, the reality is that many babies can suffer brain injuries during the delivery process. There are two main causes of brain injuries that can occur at birth: oxygen deprivation and trauma. In most cases, the severe harm of a brain injury could have been prevented with proper medical care.

Oxygen deprivation is one way that brain injuries can happen at birth. There are a few things that can cause oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery. If a woman’s labor is induced with Pitocin and the Pitocin is administered in too high of a dose, her contractions can become too frequent or the contractions can occur too rapidly for the placenta to replenish its oxygen supply during the time between the contractions. When oxygen in the placenta is low, the baby’s blood oxygen levels decrease accordingly. If the baby’s blood oxygen level remains low for too long, then brain damage is likely to occur. Oxygen deprivation also can occur when there is a delay between the onset of circumstances that indicate a need for an emergency cesarean birth and the time that the emergency cesarean birth is actually performed.

Other brain injuries that occur during labor and delivery result from trauma. When vacuum extractors and forceps are used during a birth, trauma is relatively uncommon. However, traumatic injuries can result from the use of forceps or a vacuum extractor when the doctor or other medical professional does not use the tools in the proper manner. Traumatic injuries to the brain during birth may include tearing of the brain tissue, brain bleeds, skull fractures, or contusions.

If a baby experiences a brain injury at birth, they will need special care related to that injury. The specialized care and accommodations may be needed throughout the entire course of the child’s life. It is also possible that an infant with a brain injury may develop other medical conditions, such as seizures or cerebral palsy, which will require additional care and treatment. Parents of children who suffered brain injuries at birth may be able to pursue financial recovery for their children’s injuries and damages, which can help them to ensure that their child will always have the medical care, therapeutic care, and other resources that they need.

If your child suffered a brain injury at birth, you and your family may still be adjusting to caring for his or her unique needs. As your child grows and develops, new challenges will arise and I want you to be able to overcome them without having to be concerned with whether you can afford to do so. My name is Charles H. Thronson, of Parsons Behle & Latimer, and I am here to help you. I have helped many families from Utah, as well as other families throughout the United States, whose children were injured at birth in order to obtain the financial recovery that they deserve. Contact me today if you have questions about infant brain injury lawsuits and want to schedule a consultation.