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How Birth Injuries Affect the Brain

A birth injury is one of the worst things new parents can experience. A perfectly healthy baby is suddenly changed forever due to negligent medical care and delivery. While there are many types of birth injuries, few are as difficult as those resulting in infant brain damage. All parents should take a moment to understand how birth injuries affect the brain.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is one of the more common birth injuries, making up about 1-in-3 cases. Nearly 20% of people with cerebral palsy developed the condition due to a birth injury. There are many potential causes, including improper use of obstetrical forceps and delayed C-Sections.

Whatever the cause, cerebral palsy is a chronic condition. Children with cerebral palsy usually have difficulty controlling their limbs and often experience speech impediments and other learning disabilities. Children with cerebral palsy often have difficulty establishing independence without specialized therapy and training.

Latent Birth Injuries

When labor comes to a halt, nurses fail to monitor the mother’s blood pressure, or the doctor waits too long to perform a C-section, the baby asphyxiates. Babies experiencing neonatal asphyxiation are far more likely to suffer damage resulting in developmental disabilities. This can have a devastating impact on the family, who could not have expected that their healthy baby would experience a severe brain injury during delivery.

Birth injuries that are not immediately apparent are known as “latent birth injuries.” They are conditions (often mental disabilities) caused by negligent or improper delivery methods. Georgia provides special rights for children with latent birth injuries. Parents have until the child’s seventh birthday to file a birth injury claim.

If your child suffered a traumatic birth injury that resulted in brain damage, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Atlanta medical malpractice attorney from The Mabrey Firm to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (404) 814-5098.
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