Did the birth process cause your child’s injury?

The hours from onset of labor to delivery of your baby are critical. A birth plan along with birthing classes are ways to prepare, but it can be hard to know exactly what is happening. For instance, Pitocin, a medication used to stimulate and augment labor, can cause too much cord or head compression.

Are injuries – hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy – always immediately apparent? APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration) scores may show concerns right away. In other cases, it may take months or years to recognize signs. A referral to a pediatric neurologist might indicate something could have gone wrong during delivery.

Translating medical jargon and uncovering mistakes

Reviewing your labor and delivery could uncover that a staffing shortage caused a delay or non-reassuring heart rate patterns were ignored. If medical providers failed to act in a reasonable and prudent manner, they or the hospital/clinic who employed them could be liable.

We wrote: “When to Worry: From Difficult Labor to Birth Injuries in Ohio” to explain the following in plain English:

• The meaning of complex diagnostic terms and physican subspecialties
• What electronic fetal monitoring tracks during labor and delivery
• Where to start when looking for the cause of a child’s disability

How will an injury affect your child’s life? It is impossible to predict, but you may need to assemble a medical team and plan for lifelong care needs. Getting legal advice is one way to make sure the resources are in place to protect your child. Please read our white paper to learn what to do when worries start to enter your mind.