Two main types of injures may occur during the birth delivery process, injuries from a lack of oxygen to the brain and injuries from trauma. Both types of injuries can result in birth paralysis. If the birth injury is caused by medical negligence, there are usually two causes. The first cause would be the failure of the doctor to take immediate action if a C-section is required. This could cause a lack of blood and oxygen flow to the baby's brain. If the oxygen and blood supply are cut off long enough, this can result in paralysis, including cerebral palsy. The cerebral palsy can range from mild to severe.
The second type of birth injury can result from trauma, due to improper delivery techniques. If the doctor is having a difficult type removing the baby from the birth canal, for example if the head of the baby is too big to fit through, the doctor may need to use forceps to assist. The doctor may need to twist and turn the head of the baby to help the infant exit the birth canal. If the doctor uses too much force, this can cause nerve damage to the spinal cord, the shoulders, arms, or legs, resulting in paralysis. One example of this is brachial plexus injury which can result in erbs palsy. The brachial plexus are nerves that run from the spine through the neck and armpit area of the arm. These nerves supply the arm with nerve impulses. If the doctor uses too much force, these nerves can be damaged or even avulsed, which means they are pulled from their attachment to the spinal cord, which will cause complete paralysis to the arm or hand.
Different types of paralysis caused by medical malpractice:
Medical negligence can lead to paralysis on various parts of the infant's body. The extent of the paralysis can be mild to severe. These include:
- Paraplegia - Paralysis of the legs
- Quadriplegia - Paralysis of both arms and legs
- Diplegia - Paralysis of symmetrical parts of the body. This may include diplegia in the arms, legs, or face
- Klumpkes Palsy - Paralysis of the lower arm, wrist, and hand
- Erbs Palsy - Paralysis of only the shoulder and upper arm
- Cerebral Palsy - refers to a number of neurological disorders which permanently affect muscle coordination and body movement. Unlike the paralysis areas listed above, cerebral palsy is not caused by irregularities in the muscle or nerves, but instead by abnormalities in the areas of the brain that control muscle movement
