Tag Archives: birth defect
Drugs that Can Lead to Birth Defects
The use of thalidomide by pregnant women in the 1950s and early 1960s is a tragic example of the consequences of using untested drugs. When scientists first discovered it, they touted it as a wonder drug that functioned as a tranquilizer and painkiller and prevented morning sickness. Women in Canada and Europe were the first to use it, and more than 10,000 children were born with deformities when the drug was most popular. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ultimately rejected an application to market thalidomide, arguing that the drug required further testing. The thalidomide scare prompted important changes in how governments regulate drugs that pregnant women may take. The United States Congress passed significantly stricter laws for approving drugs. Thalidomide appears to be making a comeback, however, as researchers have again noticed its effectiveness in treating certain medical conditions. Pregnant women for whom doctors have…
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Doctor’s Haste Leaves Girl’s Arm Paralyzed
A Douglas County, Nebraska jury determined that an obstetrician with Mid-City OB-GYN of Omaha was responsible for a birth injury that left a little girl without the use of her left arm. The jury awarded the now 3-year-old Chaylee Bentzinger-Hill $1.8 million for the ripped and ruptured nerves that occurred during her June 2008 delivery. According to Joe Cullan, the attorney for Chaylee’s parents, Dr. Ann Sijulin used a vacuum to help the infant through the birth canal. The baby’s shoulder became stuck behind her mother’s pelvic bone, and the doctor pulled down on the baby’s head to get her through, which led to severe nerve damage. “She panicked and she pulled,” Cullan said. “What you’re never, ever supposed to do is pull downward on the baby’s head. This case shows why. Three nerves were ripped out and two nerves were ruptured in half.” Sijulin’s attorney, Thomas Shomaker, said he…
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Posted in Birth Trauma Tagged birth defect, birth injury, birth trauma lawyer Comments Off on Doctor’s Haste Leaves Girl’s Arm Paralyzed
Cerebral Palsy Sufferer Has New Best Friend
Eight-year-old Mason Murphy knows better than most the truth in the phrase “man’s best friend” when speaking of dogs. Suffering from cerebral palsy, the Mariemont, Ohio boy relies heavily on his companion dog, Crisp. Murphy cannot use his legs because of his affliction, requiring help with the most mundane of tasks. Before bed, Crisp helps the boy pull off his socks and his clothes. The dog opens and closes doors, pushes elevator buttons, and helps with Murphy’s physical therapy. Mason’s mother, Page Murphy, attempted to explain how important the dog was to her son. “Anywhere Mason goes, the dog goes,” she said. “Mason had surgery last week; the dog was in the hospital with him all week. They’re inseparable. They’re best buddies.” Crisp came from Canine Companions for Independence, a company that breeds companion dogs for people with disabilities. It took over two years of waiting to get a dog…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged birth defect, birth injury, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy attorney Comments Off on Cerebral Palsy Sufferer Has New Best Friend
