Types of Birth Injury

Birth injuries may range from temporary problems to more severe conditions like brain damage and other developmental disorders, including cerebral palsy, brachial palsy, autism and mental retardation. Most common birth injuries are not serious and can be healed without extensive medical treatments; however, serious birth injuries require ongoing medical care indefinitely.
Below is a list of some of birth injuries.

Broken limbs are not a common birth injury, but typically occur during breech delivery, or when the baby is delivered feet or buttocks first. Fractures are not considered serious and heal over time.

Brachial palsy occurs when the brachial plexus — a group of nerves that run from in spine, neck and arm — are injured. This birth injury can limit a child's mobility before it is fully healed. Damaged nerves usually heal over time, but some cases may require physical therapy or a surgical procedure. In extremely rare cases, torn nerves can be a serious and permanent injury.

Bruising is one of the most common birth injuries. It can occur for a number of reasons, with most instances occurring as the baby passes through the birth canal. Use of instruments during delivery can also cause bruising. Most bruises heal within a few days.

Facial paralysis is an injury in which the facial nerves are stretched and require time to regenerate. About 90 percent of children with facial paralysis are able to fully recover. In cases where the nerves are torn, surgery may be required.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage is bruising inside the eye that is caused by broken blood vessels. This type of birth injury is usually caused by pressure applied to the infant's head during the birthing process. Subconjunctival hemorrhage requires no treatment and heals without medical intervention.

Caput succedaneum is swelling of the scalp and is typically caused by the trauma of the baby pushing through a narrowed cervix. It can also be caused by a vacuum extraction or the use of forceps. The swelling can occur on any portion of the scalp and may appear slightly bruised as well. Caput succedaneum usually heals within a few months.

Cephalohematoma is collection of blood under the scalp and can be much more serious than caput succedaneum. It typically occurs following a vacuum delivery. Cephalohematoma can take many months to heal as the blood under the scalp slowly becomes reabsorbed into the body.

Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition that results from damage to the cerebrum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordination and motor skills. Cerebral palsy is often characterized by a movement disorder and lack of muscle control.

Cerebral palsy and other serious birth injuries are permanent conditions. Often, the cause of birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, is medical error during pregnancy, delivery or shortly after birth. Many times, parents suspect that a doctor is to blame for their child's injury, but are discouraged by their lack of evidence, which can make liability difficult to prove. If you believe that negligence may have led to your child's birth injury, you should contact a birth injury attorney for help, who can review medical records to help you build a strong case against those responsible.