Interested in working with us? Call us on 703.591.0067 or fill out this quick form and we will contact you within 24 hours!

Brain Injury at Birth: Causes and Symptoms of Infant Hypoxia

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) describes damage to cells in the brain and spinal cord caused by lack of oxygen. This condition is unfortunately fairly common among Virginia birth injuries, and while many cases are temporary, some become serious and even prove fatal. Common causes include an umbilical cord wrapped around the infant’s neck, a breech birth, a ruptured blood vessel, or other birthing complications. Whatever the cause, the lack of oxygen can lead to damage in a matter of minutes.

Since the damage is irreversible, your physician must administer careful and consistent neonatal monitoring. If your doctor was inattentive with prenatal care or slow to administer testing before a complicated birth, your infant’s injury could be a result of Virginia medical malpractice. Learn more about medical malpractice, including compensation for physician negligence, by contacting an experienced DC birth injury lawyer.

Even in non-fatal cases, HIE can lead to progressively worsening conditions, such as:

Cerebral palsy

Difficulty swallowing

Smaller-than-average head size (microcephaly)

Mental retardation

Seizures

Blindness or impaired vision
Deafness or hearing impairment
Chronic lung disease

Often, prolonged conditions appear when HIE occurs simultaneously with failures in other organ systems. Therefore, your physician should order immediate testing (such as an MRI, EEG, or CAT scan) if your child exhibits symptoms of HIE, including:

Seizures or convulsions

Lethargy

Inability to pay attention or concentrate

Difficulty hearing

Lack of coordination

Hyperactivity

Difficulty breathing

Poor response to light or touch

Coma

If HIE results in one of these severe conditions, treatment can be extensive and costly. As many as one quarter of all affected infants will be permanently disabled as a result. Most treatment efforts focus on avoiding further brain damage or impairment rather than restoring lost functionality. While many such treatments improve the quality of the infant’s life, they are a small comfort to a victim’s family when the birth injury could have been avoided.

If your infant suffered a birth injury at the hands of a careless or negligent doctor, then your life will be changed forever. However, you don’t have to go through it alone. The attorneys at Shevlin Smith can provide information, assistance, and possible reparation in your Fairfax child injury case. Call (703) 591-0067 today for your consultation.