Cleveland Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Pessaries, which are small medical devices made of silicon, have been used for hundreds of years, yet they may now be carving out a new niche. According to a study recently published in the medical journal The Lancet, placing a pessary around the neck of the cervix of a pregnant woman with a high risk of premature birth might delay labor. Pessaries are currently used to treat stress incontinence and prevent the uterus from prolapsing, or falling out, into the vagina.

According to The New York Times, premature babies, even if they can be saved, are at risk of developing blindness, retardation, lung problems and cerebral palsy. By delaying labor, the pessary could help prevent these complications and disorders, which can also be caused medical malpractice. The study's use of the device was intended to delay labor until it was safer for the mother and baby, the Times reported.

Complications during delivery may be passed off as normal when an underlying medical injury may have occurred. Checking your infant's developmental milestones can be key in assessing whether a birth injury has affected your infant's physical health. If medical negligence can be proven, an Ohio birth injury attorney can help you seek the compensation and justice you deserve.

Is My Child Developing Normally?

There are a few early warning signs you can look for in your infant to know if he or she is developing normally.

At the end of the first month, babies should be able to:

· make tight fists;

· raise hands near face;

· move head from side to side while on their stomach;

· be able to concentrate on objects 8 to 12 inches away; and

· hear well.

At the end of the third month, babies should be able to:

· open and shut hands;

· raise hands to mouth;

· hold and shake hand toys;

· lift their head and chest when on their stomach;

· stretch legs out and kick;

· push down on legs when on a firm surface;

· follow a moving object with eyes;

· begin using hands and eyes in coordination; and

· make sounds.

At the end of the seventh month, babies should be able to:

· reach with hands;

· move objects from hand to hand;

· roll over;

· sit up;

· express joy and displeasure vocally; and

· respond to their name.

Contacting an Ohio Birth Injury Lawyer

A child unable to meet developmental milestones may be suffering from a birth injury. Attorneys at The Becker Law Firm can provide you with a free case evaluation. Give us a call at 1-877-863-6219.

A birth injury can be devastating to a family, especially when your perfectly healthy baby received an injury during delivery at the hands of trusted medical personnel. Oftentimes, parents are not even aware that the medical issue their infant now is suffering from was caused by their healthcare provider. An Ohio birth injury attorney may be able to help determine this.

Birth Injury Defined

Many people believe that any injuries a newborn might sustain only occur during the actual birth and must be quite evident; however, signs that something is physically wrong with the child may not be immediate or obvious. It could take days, weeks or even months for a parent to recognize that his or her child is not developing normally. The medical staff's actions or inactions may cause an injury to the baby or even the mother, for which compensation possibly may be sought.

Medical Negligence Leading to Birth Injuries

Doctors, nurses or other hospital employees sometimes may not perform their duties responsibly. Examples in which medical negligence may have existed include:

· A child who has suffered a brain injury due to a lack of oxygen, and a timely C-section was not performed, labor and delivery was prolonged or there was a severe reduction in the mother or fetus's blood pressure.

· A child with paralysis of the shoulders, arms or hands because of improper delivery, lack of training in applying shoulder dystocia techniques, not performing a C-section when the situation required it or failing to determine in advance that the fetus was too big for the birth canal.

Early warning signs, such as bruising, head swelling or a difficult delivery, may be an indication that your infant is dealing with an injury. If you are unsure whether or not your child has suffered from an injury due to medical negligence, you may want to consult an attorney who can assess the details of your case.

It may be hard to know if a birth injury is the cause of your child's current medical issues. What may have seemed to be just a difficult delivery or superficial bruise actually may have had more dire consequences to your child's physical well-being. Medical negligence during your pregnancy and delivery could have played a role, and an attorney may be able to help.

Examples of Birth Injuries

Babies whose shoulders were hard to deliver could have suffered an injury to the nerves associated with their shoulders, arms or hands. An injury to these nerves, known as the brachial plexus, can result in Erb's palsy or Klumpke's palsy. These conditions can cause paralysis of the upper body limbs. The paralysis may resolve itself over a period of time or may require physical therapy and even surgery to correct the nerve damage. In extremely severe cases, a baby may lose oxygen, which can cause brain damage and/or lead to death.

If your newborn's muscle tone appears to be too loose or too stiff, it could be a sign of cerebral palsy. Another sign may be uncontrolled reflexes. In older children, cerebral palsy may be displayed as a lack of muscle coordination. This lifelong disability may be a result of damage to the part of the brain that controls muscles or nerves. Cerebral palsy has been linked to birth injuries, primarily from trauma to the head during labor and delivery or oxygen deprivation.

Jaundice is another condition that could be caused by medical negligence. When this occurs, your baby may develop a yellowish-looking tint to their skin, mucus or eyes. This may be an indication of serious health problems in the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.

When It's Time to Contact an Ohio Birth Injury Attorney

If you think your child may have been injured due to medical negligence, you may be entitled to compensation through a claim. Contact The Becker Law Firm for more information and a free case evaluation by calling 1-877-863-6219.

An ectopic pregnancy is one that takes place outside the uterus. This is most times fatal for the baby, who is unable to develop. To learn if you have the right to pursue a claim against a physician or another medical professional for what you believe is medical negligence, contact a birth injury lawyer in Cuyahoga County.