Florida Hospitals: Top Three Birth Injuries

Having a baby can be the most beautiful, exciting, magical time in your life. However, it may also be the most worrisome time of your life as well. As a new parent, you do everything in your power to make sure your newborn comes into the world as healthy and happy as possible.

How much of this is in your control and how much do you have to leave in the hands of the doctors, nurses and hospital you choose? Sadly, birth injuries are more common than you would think both in Florida and throughout the nation.

Three Most Common Types of Birth Injuries

In Florida, there are three birthing injuries that are most commonly seen, due to negligence of medical staff, the hospital or sometimes both. Among these three are cerebral palsy, erb’s palsy, and hypoxia.

1. Cerebral palsy can be caused by any injury that cuts off the infant’s oxygen. If these injuries occur at birth or during birth, it could be a result of medical malpractice. This lack of oxygen can lead to seizures, poor bladder control, poor motor skills and breathing issues. All of these have the possibility of resulting in this permanent disability.
2. Erb’s palsy can occur when the infant’s brachial plexus nerve (located by the shoulder) is damaged. This nerve is responsible for sensation and movement in the arms and injury to this nerve can not only cause loss of muscle control but can lead to permanent upper body paralysis.
3. Hypoxia can occur when there is not enough oxygen going to the brain and can have traumatic, long term effects on your baby’s life. Hypoxia can lead to seizures, a coma, and sometimes even death.

How Common Is Common?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are four million babies born in the United States each year. Of every thousand babies born, six to eight of them are born with a birth injury. This means of those four million babies born every year, an average of twenty eight thousand are born with birth injuries, often caused by negligence of medical staff.

In a National Healthcare Quality Report, it was found that nearly one hundred and fifty seven thousand birth injuries (to either the baby or the mother) could have been avoided.

If you believe you or your baby have suffered from a birth injury due to negligence, schedule a free consultation with the lawyers at Kaire & Heffernan today.

 

Samantha Heffernan