No Idaho parent wants to learn that their child has suffered a birth injury. Sadly, this situation is more common than you might think. These are some of the most common ones.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common birth injuries. It’s caused by brain damage during labor or childbirth and results in motor skill development problems, muscle weakness and spasms. Cerebral palsy cannot be cured. Children with the condition often require a lifetime of care and struggle with multiple problems, including disability and impairment.
Brachial plexus injury
A brachial plexus injury affects the nerves that send signals between the spinal cord and the hand, arm and shoulder regions. It happens when the nerves are stretched too far, compressed or even torn. This injury is also known as shoulder dystocia when that part of the body is affected. It occurs during delivery when the infant is traveling through the birth canal but there are difficulties.
Oxygen deprivation
A baby can suffer a slew of problems if they experience oxygen deprivation during birth. This might include brain damage resulting in learning disabilities, developmental delays or chronic seizures. Even with mild, short-term oxygen deprivation, a child can suffer for a lifetime.
Cephalohematoma
This type of birth injury affects the area beneath the baby’s skull bones. A raised bump appears a few hours after the birth, usually from the use of forceps. Bleeding under the skull bone occurs and might result in additional problems such as jaundice, but this injury often clears up on its own after a few weeks to months.
Fractures
The most common fractures during delivery affect the baby’s collarbone or clavicle. This often happens when there is a breech birth. Sometimes, the injury can heal on its own, but some babies need to be immobilized for treatment.