Tag Archives: Birth Defects
Blanket Puts The Chill On Infant Brain Damage
While a new technique called therapeutic hypothermia might sound a little scary, it is giving hope to infants at risk for brain injury where there have not been many options. Doctors have started wrapping at-risk newborns in cooling blankets to prevent brain damage, and it is proving to be quite effective. The cooling wraps circulate water that keeps the baby’s arms and trunk area at 33.5 degrees, down from the standard 37 degrees. They are kept at this temperature for 3 days, after which they are slowly warmed back up over a 24-hour period. The cooling blanket can reduce the chance of brain injury by 25 percent. Doctors still do not know why lowering body temperature slows damage to the brain, but the theory is that lower temperature slows the rate at which damage can occur. According to Dr. Amit Mathur, neonatal ICU medical director at St. Louis Children’s Center,…
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Posted in Birth Trauma, Brain Damage Tagged Birth Defects, birth injury, birth trauma lawyer Comments Off on Blanket Puts The Chill On Infant Brain Damage
10 Epilepsy Drugs Appear To Cause Birth Defects
There is an ever-increasing list of prescription drugs found to increase the risk of birth defects, and new evidence shows that FDA should add some of the most common epilepsy drugs to the list. AdverseEvents, Inc. a company that analyzes the FDA’s adverse drug event database says that 10 of the most popular epilepsy drugs in the United States have been found to have a large numbers of birth defect-related adverse events. Carbatrol/Tegretol, Depacon/Kene/Kote, Dilantin, Keppra (and IR, Klonopin, Lamictal, Neurontin, Topomax, Trileptal, and Zonegran were found to have more than 25 individual birth defect case reports. AdverseEvents is recommending that the drugs be re-classified to D class from C class, associating them with “positive evidence of human fetal risk”. Class D drugs are generally not prescribed to pregnant women unless there is no less risky alternative. It is especially significant that the FDA re-classify these drugs because most epileptic…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Dangerous Drugs Tagged AdverseEvents Inc., Birth Defects, birth injury, birth trauma attorney, Carbatrol, Depacon, Keppra Comments Off on 10 Epilepsy Drugs Appear To Cause Birth Defects
Parents Of Brain Injury Victim Give Back
When the parents of Slater Jett Meyers lost their son at 8 months due to brain injury, they made a powerful gesture in his honor. Ilana and Glenn Meyers created the Slater Jett Meyers Foundation, which has provided more than $500,000 since 2002 to serve children who have suffered birth injuries. The Meyers say that when they consider where to spend the money they raise through their foundation, they think of what their son would need had he survived. Whether it is a therapeutic gym for infants and toddlers, adaptive equipment to help kids communicate, or a device to help with mobility, the Meyers provide thoughtful contributions to those who need them most. They raise the majority of their money each year through an annual fundraiser, held this year at the Paramount Country Club in New City, New York. The Meyerses are normal, everyday people. He is a general manager…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma Tagged Birth Defects, birth injury, birth trauma lawyer, Slater Jett Meyers Foundation Comments Off on Parents Of Brain Injury Victim Give Back
