|
Birth
Injuries/ Cerebral Palsy
Birth injuries can be defined as injury to the fetus sustained
during the labor and delivery process. Approximately 6 to
8 injuries per 1,000 live births occur in America each year.
Some of the most common injuries are related to prolonged
or difficult labor, use of forceps, an abrupt delivery, or
prolonged fetal distress.
Birth injuries can be varied. Trauma to the peripheral nerves
produces a major group of birth injuries. Brachial plexus
injuries, or injuries to the network of interjoining nerves
in the neck, are caused by stretching of the cervical roots
during delivery, usually when shoulder dystocia is present.
Shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby¹s head is delivered,
but the shoulders cannot be delivered because they are stuck
behind the mother's pubic bone. Upper arm palsy (Erb's palsy),
is the most common brachial plexus injury. Shoulder dystocia
may occur when a baby is unusually large. An ultrasound scan
will help determine whether the baby is too big to pass through
the mother¹s pelvis which would necessitate a cesarean
delivery.
Another group of disorders characterized by loss of movement
or loss of nerve functions is called cerebral palsy. These
disorders are caused by injuries to the brain that occur during
fetal development at or near the time of birth. The incidence
of cerebral palsy is approximately 2 to 4 individuals for
every 1,000 births. Cerebral palsy is caused by hypoxia (low
oxygen) to the brain. Classifications of cerebral palsy include:
spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed cerebral palsy. Spastic
cerebral palsy includes about half of the cases.
Babies born with cerebral palsy may not have signs of the
condition at birth. This is because the baby¹s nervous
system needs to mature further before the signs become evident.
However, babies with severe forms of cerebral palsy may have
signs of the condition at birth or shortly thereafter. Signs
of spastic quadriplegia include problems sucking and swallowing,
a weak or shrill cry, either a very floppy body or a very
stiff body, irritable when awake, sleeps a lot. Some of the
early signs noticeable by the age of three months include
the baby¹s failure to turn to sudden noise, does not
follow objects with his or her eyes, or does not show facial
expression.
The Cochran Firm - Dallas, L.L.P.
Turtle Creek Centre, Suite 1400
3811 Turtle Creek Boulevard
Dallas, Texas
75219
phone:
214.651.4260
| fax: 214.651.4261
Edward H. Moore is Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law. Unless otherwise noted, not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
The statements and information provided on this web site are for the information of the recipient only. This site is not intended to provide legal advice and no attorney-client relationship should be deemed to arise from the receipt this page and its associated pages. |
Copyright © 2003 The Cochran Firm - Dallas, L.L.P.,
All Rights Reserved.
|
|
