Category Archives: Birth Defects
Birth Trauma Not Uncommon, Unfortunately
Having a child born with birth trauma can be terrifying for new parents. What you had dreamed of as a joy-filled moment can become truly upsetting if something goes wrong. As long as the injury is minor, though, a doctor can usually help your child recover. One of the most common birth injuries is a clavicle fracture. Otherwise known as the collarbone, the clavicle connects the upper part of the breastbone with the shoulder blade. Normally there are no lasting effects from this type of injury. Infants heal quickly, and strapping the arm to the chest should allow the clavicle to heal. Nerve damage is another type of birth injury. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that travel from the neck to the arm. When an infant’s head and arm are pulled in different directions, damage can occur to this bundle of nerves. If the damage is minor,…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma
Tagged birth defect, birth injury, birth trauma attorney
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Autism In Premature Babies Five Times More Likely
A new study on autism has demonstrated that the risk of developing autism among children who were born prematurely is five times greater than among kids born after a full-term pregnancy. The new study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that five out of every 100 young adults born weighing less than four and a half pounds had autism. This is significantly higher than the estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that one out of every 100 eight-year-old kids has autism. The professor who led the study, Jennifer Pinto-Martin of the University of Pennsylvania, says she “was surprised”. “I knew it would be higher than the general population…but I thought the rate would be about double”, she said. Those with autism in the study also showed a higher prevalence for other psychiatric disorders, such as phobias and attention-deficit disorder. Pinto-Martin said that although her study did not…
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Posted in Autism, Birth Defects, Birth Trauma
Tagged Autism, Birth Defects, birth trauma lawyer, brain injury
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Michigan Family Awarded $130 Million For Daughter’s Brain Damage
A doctor’s negligence can cause unprecedented harm in the delivery of a child, and the harm can last a lifetime. A jury considered this timeframe in Michigan on Tuesday when they awarded the family of a brain-damaged girl what might be the largest medical malpractice verdict in Michigan History. The family of a 15-year old Markell VanSlembrouck, a quadriplegic girl resulting from a brain injury acquired at birth, was awarded $130 million in damages after a three-week trial where the family alleged negligence by the delivering doctor. Markell was larger than expected from gestational diabetes, but rather than perform a cesarean, Dr. Andrew Halperin from Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak chose to induce vaginal delivery. The delivery resulted in a broken clavicle and brain damage. Quadriplegia followed, requiring round-the-clock care. The VanSlembrouck’s attorney says the award represents the cost of caring for Markell through 2077 and her lost wages, and…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage
Tagged Birth Defects, birth trauma lawyers, brain injuries
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