3 of the Most Common Birth Injuries in Florida Hospitals

While family members and friends offer up baby names or try to guess the gender, soon-to-be mothers and fathers simply hope for a healthy newborn. Unfortunately, birth injuries are common in Florida hospitals and across the nation. New parents and their infants are often left with the lifelong consequences of birth injuries that could have been prevented.

Birth injuries can be caused by a number of factors during pregnancy, during delivery or immediately after delivery. A failure to diagnose and respond to fetal distress, the improper use of extraction devices and the failure to perform a cesarean when it’s needed are just a few reasons birth injuries happen so often.

Three of the most common birth injuries in Florida are:

1. Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral Palsy occurs when a newborn’s brain doesn’t have adequate access to oxygen and leads to an array of symptoms such as seizures, breathing issues, poor motor skills and poor bladder control. This permanent disability can also be caused by infection during pregnancy or brain damage due to head trauma.
2. Erb’s Palsy: Erb’s Palsy occurs when the infant’s brachial plexus nerve by the shoulder is damaged. The brachial plexus is responsible for movement and sensation in the arm. This birth injury can be permanent and may lead to paralysis in the upper body, loss of muscle control or limpness.
3. Hypoxia: Hypoxia occurs when there’s a lack of oxygen in the brain and can have a long-term effect on a child’s life. Severe medical problems can arise from hypoxia including coma, seizures, brain damage and even death.

Nearly 4 million babies are born each year in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This means less than 11,000 infants are delivered each day. Doctors, OBGYNs and nurses try to be prepared for delivery and any potential complications, but medical malpractice still occurs.

If your child suffered an injury at birth, please call our injury attorney in Orlando today at (407) 712-7300 to schedule your FREE consultation. Colling Gilbert Wright serves clients throughout Florida including Orlando.