Category Archives: Birth Defects
Hospital Focuses on Neurology Care for Babies at Risk of Brain Injury
Protecting the brain health of premature and dangerously ill newborns is the focus of a new effort at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. On April 23, the hospital launched the Neuro NICU, which provides specialized neurology care for babies at risk of brain injury. The Neuro NICU, which consists of six beds inside the Packard Children’s neonatal intensive care unit, is one of just a small handful of such units around the US. These units represent advances in treatments and technologies that allow physicians not only to keep babies alive, but reduce their risk of suffering neurological problems. Several conditions can leave infants susceptible to brain injury, including premature birth, early-life infections, birth defects such as congenital heart defects, and oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery. These patients have the greatest need for the Neuro NICU team’s expertise. New neurologic research has provided tools for improving vulnerable infants’ developmental outcomes and…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Erbs Palsy, Peeclampsia, Pregnancy, Premature Birth, Shoulder Dystocia Tagged baby brain injury attorney, baby brain injury lawyer, brain injury Comments Off on Hospital Focuses on Neurology Care for Babies at Risk of Brain Injury
Premature and Smaller Babies Tied to Cerebral Palsy Risk
According to a new study, premature and small babies born to mothers with preeclampsia during pregnancy are at increased risk for cerebral palsy. Researchers analyzed data from about 850 children with cerebral palsy. Children who were both born moderately preterm or very preterm and whose mothers had preeclampsia had a significantly increased risk of cerebral palsy, if they were also smaller than usual at birth. Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition involving high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It affects 3 to 5 percent of pregnant women. The results were the same after researchers adjusted factors such as the mother’s age, smoking during pregnancy, in vitro fertilization and the sex of the child. Every Day, A Newborn Child is Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy These findings suggest that doctors should take note of early signs of a smaller baby in a mother with preeclampsia. In most cases, cerebral palsy is…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Pregnancy, Premature Birth Tagged cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy attorneys, cerebral palsy lawyers Comments Off on Premature and Smaller Babies Tied to Cerebral Palsy Risk
Our Birth Trauma Lawyers Discuss the Dangers of Terbutaline and Autism in Infants
Terbutaline is a generic version of name-brand drugs Brethine and Bricanyl. The generic drug is commonly used “off label” to halt pre-term labor, lengthen pregnancy and prevent premature birth. Annually, approximately 1 million women are treated with terbutaline for this purpose. Terbutaline is actually used to treat asthma, making its use to control pre-term labor highly controversial. Some physicians contend that the drug is dangerous while others say it is no more effective at prolonging labor than a placebo. The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved uses of terbutaline for anything other than controlling asthma. Recent studies have raised concerns that the drug may have a profound, negative impact on an unborn baby’s brain development due to overstimulation of certain brain activity. Overstimulation could lead to autism, particularly in twins. Further, the study’s findings suggest that exposure to drugs like terbutaline early in development could leave the brains…
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Posted in Autism, Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Dangerous Drugs Tagged birth trauma attorneys, birth trauma lawyers, fraternal twins with autism Comments Off on Our Birth Trauma Lawyers Discuss the Dangers of Terbutaline and Autism in Infants
