Georgia Birth Injury Attorney

Different Types of Birth Injuries

The severity of a birth injury should always be considered drastic but the symptoms can greatly differentiate. In many cases, the impact of the doctor's negligence is immediately known as the birth injury involves a physical deformity or harm. In others, it could take weeks, months, or even years before the harm becomes apparent, such as can be the case when the birth injury causes brain damage and prevents normal development, both mentally and emotionally.

The most common forms of birth injuries are:

• Brain injuries: The developing brain of an infant is incredibly fragile. Oxygen deprivation may occur in utero and requires adequate diagnoses from medical practitioners leading up to labor. Physical harm can occur during birth if the wrong birth-assisting equipment is used or the doctor is hasty.
• Physical injuries: Muscles, nerve bundles, and joints can easily be damaged permanently in a fast moment of carelessness at the hands of a doctor during labor and birth. Pulling or twisting a newborn in an attempt to complete the birth frequently causes brachial plexus or shoulder dystocia, which may lead to paralysis and fractures.
• Infections and illnesses: A mother who has an untreated infection or illness can pass the negative consequences of such ailments onto her child as it develops. It is up to doctors and nursing staff who diagnose the mother before birth to recognize how such complications could be affecting the developing fetus.
• Prescription side-effects: Just as how a mother's sickness can hurt her child in utero, so can the medications she takes to alleviate them. Doctors and pharmacists must not prescribe any drug or substance to a pregnant mother if it has a chance of hurting her child.