Traumatic Birth Syndrome: Medical Negligence That Needs To Be Addressed
Traumatic birth syndrome impacts the most vulnerable among us. Messed up deliveries and traumatic births can have calamitous effects on the lives of babies that can follow them for years. It can also cause a great deal of emotional pain on parents who have to see their children in distress, and affected siblings may also suffer. The entire family may have emotional, physical, and mental struggles after a traumatic birth. Here's what you need to know about addressing this serious problem.
The Aftermath
After a traumatic birth that has negatively affected the newborn, early intervention is essential. The baby may need short-term and long-term assistance. They may have extensive and sometimes even lifelong therapeutic needs. Much further down the line from the traumatic birth, they may also need help with their education and future ability to have a career and job. Possible immediate problems include:
- Sleeping disorder
- Lowered immunity
- Infantile colic
- Poor developmental progress
Signs of a Traumatic Birth
Parents are sometimes in denial at first, but they need to consider that there may have been medical negligence during the birth if it was traumatic. The following reasons are an indication that there may have been medical negligence:
- There was a decrease in fetal movement during the birth.
- You required an emergency C-section after hours of traditional delivery.
- Forceps were used during the baby's birth.
- The baby's shoulder or another body part was stuck.
- The baby was seemingly limp at birth.
- The baby had a decrease in movement.
- The baby had a weak cry after birth or didn't cry at all.
- The baby was born with a blue or pale color to their skin.
- The baby's heart rate dropped significantly.
- The baby endured a fractured skull.
- The baby had a bowel movement during the birth.
While these are major red flags, these things aren't always due to negligence, and it's not a complete list of things that may indicate medical negligence.
What To Do
You need to consider that this may have been medical negligence that should be addressed, and you should contact a lawyer with any questions you have about the details of your situation.
Also, immediately write down an account of what happened while it is fresh in your mind and keep a daily diary of any and all struggles that your family faces as a result of the traumatic birth. Write down the struggles of every member of the family that is impacted by it.
What Not To Do
Never blame yourself. It's common for parents to turn inward with rage and the blame game when they have to see their kids struggling, but this is not a situation where the responsibility lies on the parents' shoulders.
Finally, keep in mind that you may be entitled to compensation if your baby experienced traumatic birth syndrome or was otherwise hurt during the delivery. Protect your rights by consulting an attorney as soon as possible where you can get personalized advice on your unique situation to protect your baby's well-being now and in the future. An attorney like Steven J. Rosenberg, P.C. may be able to help.