Neonatal Stroke

New and expecting parents are always hopeful for a routine and uneventful childbirth. They take various steps to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy and are proactive in taking action to prevent any complications during childbirth. One aspect of having a safe birthing process involves selecting doctors who are well-trained and qualified to handle any and all complicated medical circumstances that may arise in childbirth. There are instances where a medical provider acts carelessly or negligently and causes devastating injuries to the newborn baby.

One serious type of birth injury that newborns are at risk of suffering from is called a neonatal stroke. A neonatal stroke can cause long-term complications that require extensive medical treatment. It is a very helpless feeling to see your newborn suffer. This is especially true in cases where babies suffer debilitating injuries as a result of another person’s actions. 

Our team of skilled personal injury attorneys at The Malpractice Group is dedicated to helping injured victims protect their legal rights after suffering debilitating injuries due to medical negligence. Our personal injury attorneys strive to help injured victims protect their legal rights so they are in the best position possible to move forward. If your newborn has suffered a neonatal stroke due to medical negligence, contact our law firm to explore legal options available to you and your family.

What is a Neonatal Stroke?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines a neonatal stroke as a medical condition that occurs after an infant’s blood supply to their brain endures some type of disturbance. This type of injury usually occurs within 28-days of birth and often occurs during the birthing process and can occur as a result of negligence. When an infant suffers a stroke at birth, or within the first seven days of their lives, it is deemed a perinatal stroke.

Both types of strokes are the result of the brain suffering oxygen deprivation at birth and a blockage of blood vessels. These injuries are inflicted upon at least one child in every 4,000 births. 

There are various factors that can influence a patient suffering a neonatal stroke. The health of the mother can play a critical role during the birthing process. Mothers who suffer from autoimmune disorders, coagulation disorders, and various other conditions are at an increased risk of having babies suffer this type of injury in or after the baby is born. 

In other cases, these injuries are caused by medical negligence during the pregnancy and birthing process. Trauma caused by negligence is not common but, unfortunately, it does occur occasionally. There are instances where babies suffer a traumatic injury as a result of the use of forceps, vacuum extractions, abnormal positioning, cephalic pelvic disproportion, and thrombophilia.

In any case, signs of a neonatal stroke are usually present during labor and delivery. The use of fetal monitoring strips allows doctors to adequately diagnose signs of distress. When these signs and symptoms are noticed, doctors can quickly move for C-sections to take the baby out quickly and avoid adverse consequences. Our team at The skilled and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers at The Malpractice Group can review your claim and determine if the injury could have been avoided by a doctor simply acting to perform a C-section instead of prolonging labor and delivery.  Call us today to see if you have the right to pursue a claim for your child’s neonatal stroke.

Detecting a Stroke

Although neonatal stroke are rare, perinatal strokes are considered extremely rare. Defense attorneys often argue that these injuries are common in an effort to negate responsibility for the injuries. They do this to argue that the child’s injuries happened before any errors were made, and therefore the defendant should not be held liable.

The unfortunate truth is that these injuries are often discoverable via ultrasound prior to delivery. In fact, doctors are able to see stains within the amniotic fluids that indicate perinatal strokes. Conversely, neonatal stroke can go undetected for several months after delivery.

Roughly 25% of all neonatal stroke result in fatalities. When babies are injured or lose their lives due to careless medical professionals, it is crucial that their families reach out to a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to protect their legal rights. The lawyers at The Malpractice Group are well-versed in all aspects of medical malpractice lawsuits and can provide you with aggressive legal representation to ensure that you get the most for your claim for the injury your child suffered at the hands of a negligent medical professional.

The Long-Term Impacts of Strokes

A neonatal stroke can have a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of a developing baby. Brain damage related to these strokes can result in an array of further complications. Some of the most common problems that affect children throughout their lives as a result of a neonatal stroke include:

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Mental Retardation
  • Paralysis/Weakness on One Side
  • Problems Communicating
  • Vision Problems
  • Psychological Impairments

These injuries often require therapy and extensive medical treatment. Some patients have to go through occupational, physical, and speech therapy to address the overwhelmingly devastating consequences of these types of injuries. Some babies may have to endure these treatments as they grow well into adulthood. Neonatal stroke can lead to permanent disabilities that impact the quality of life of the affected infant. If your baby suffered a neonatal stroke, and you believe medical negligence was the cause, it is important that you reach out to a birth injury attorney as soon as possible. Our team at The Malpractice Group is dedicated to helping families get the justice and compensation they need and deserve.

The Malpractice Group Can Help You

Babies who suffer neonatal stroke often require life-long treatment. In some cases, the injured infant is left with life-altering injuries that continue to affect their health and wellbeing forever. We understand the unique challenges families face after being subjected to this type of birth injury. 

Our team of dedicated personal injury lawyers at The Malpractice Group strives to ensure families get the compensation and justice they deserve after experiencing medical negligence that leads to birth injuries. Our knowledgeable medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to helping families hold negligent medical providers accountable for their actions so they can get the compensation they deserve for their injuries.

Over the years, our competent medical malpractice attorneys at The Malpractice Group have fought aggressively to ensure victims are fully and fairly compensated for pain and suffering, medical treatment, and more. If your baby suffered birth injuries as a result of a medical professional’s negligence, contact our law firm today at (312) 561-4324. Schedule a free case evaluation at your earliest convenience with our team to discuss the circumstances surrounding your case.