Signs of Developmental Delays Caused by Birth Malpractice
Early childhood is an exciting time as you watch your child learn, grow, and make new discoveries about the world. Waving, smiling, reaching for objects, sitting up, and forming words are heartwarming signs of normal development.
When a child’s development is delayed, it may be cause for concern. You will want to speak with your child’s pediatrician right away if you have any questions about your child’s behavior.
If your child isn’t progressing at the same rate as other children their age, they may be suffering from a birth injury caused by negligent delivery room care. Mistakes made by medical professionals during childbirth may cause injuries with lifelong consequences.
What Causes Birth Injuries?
A birth injury occurs when a mistake in the delivery room causes a newborn child to suffer serious medical harm. Birth trauma is an injury resulting from this negligence.
When hospital administrators, your OB-GYN, or someone else on the delivery team fails to meet the standard of care, it can have devastating consequences for your child.
Delivery room mistakes that cause birth injuries include:
- Misuse of forceps
- Delayed C-section
- Mishandled vacuum extraction
- Shoulder dystocia
- Oxygen deprivation
- Failure to monitor the fetus
- Failure to diagnose an infection
- Failure to properly guide the child through the birth canal
- Failure to provide oxygen to a newborn who isn’t breathing
Types of Birth Injuries
Your OB-GYN oversees the smooth operation of the delivery room team. These health care professionals must act decisively and communicate effectively with one another to ensure a safe delivery. And the hospital is responsible for hiring qualified personnel and giving them the training they need to do the job right.
The following birth injuries occur when doctors, nurses, and other professionals on the delivery room team fail to act decisively:
- Klumpke’s palsy/Erb’s palsy
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Facial paralysis
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
- Spinal cord injury
- Cerebral palsy
- Brain damage
- Cephalohematoma
- Fractured arms, collarbones, and shoulders
Symptoms of Delayed Development
Milestones are skills or tasks that most children perform at a certain age range, such as sitting up, reaching for objects, crawling, walking, and speaking. Developmental delays are ongoing or multiple delays in reaching key milestones relating to motor skills, behavior, socialization, and language.
Behavior that may indicate developmental delays in the first year of your child’s development include:
- Inability to roll over
- Not following objects with their eyes
- Not reaching for or responding to objects around them
- Inability to sit up on their own
- Not responding to games like peekaboo
- Not responding to spoken words
- Not trying to mimic words and short phrases
- Not crying when a caretaker leaves the room
How Your Malpractice Attorney Can Help
If you notice that your child isn’t reaching their developmental milestones, see your pediatrician right away. Your doctor will provide a medical examination that includes an assessment of the child’s vison, hearing, motor skills, and intellectual development.
If your child is suffering from birth injuries caused by medical malpractice, they will require a lifetime of costly medical assistance and intervention. Your birth injury attorney will file a claim against anyone whose negligent behavior contributed to your child’s injuries.
Expenses covered in a birth injury medical malpractice claim include:
- Past, current, and future medical costs
- Medical devices such as wheelchairs
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Specialized education therapy
- Assisted living care
- Wheelchair ramps for your home
- Loss of Income
- Reduced earning potential
- Pain and suffering
Was Your Child Harmed by Medical Malpractice?
The experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. have won record-breaking settlements for our clients. You shouldn’t have to pay your own medical expenses if your child’s injuries were caused by someone else’s careless behavior.
Call (303) 759-9945 to learn more today. You won’t owe us anything unless we win you a settlement.