Developmental delays in children can often be observed when children are having problems learning how to crawl, walk, talk, progress in language or speech, or progress with thinking skills. Children are unique and each child develops at their own pace. If your child's developmental process is noticeably slower than other children, it may be a warning sign of various medical conditions, such as a birth injury that caused permanent brain damage. The first few years of a child's life are important in the development that will affect the rest of his or her life. If developmental delays are detected and the problems treated early in the child's life, the child will develop into a healthier adult and live a more fulfilling life.
A delay in development for your child may happen for many reasons, including a mother abusing drugs or alcohol when the baby was in the womb, genetics, or medical malpractice, including a nurse or doctor's negligence that caused a birth injury. A birth injury may not even have been noticed when the child was born, but shows up later in the form of a developmental delay.
Birth injuries resulting from medical negligence include hypoxia and trauma; both of which can lead to developmental delays. If a child did not receive adequate oxygen to the brain, cerebral palsy may occur and can be either mild or severe. Cerebral palsy signs may not even be noticeable for the first few years either. But if the child is suffering from cerebral palsy, the warning signs will become more noticeable, especially by the third year.
Cerebral palsy and hypoxia related birth injuries can occur from a variety of causes, including a doctor failing to perform a C-section if required, improperly using forceps or a vacuum in the extraction of the child from the birth canal, or a prolapsed umbilical cord cutting off the oxygen supply to the infant. Birth injuries from medical negligence can lead to cerebral palsy and a lifetime of developmental delays, both mental and physical, including learning disabilities and paralysis. If your child has cerebral palsy, a cerebral palsy attorney should be consulted.
Trauma injuries can also cause developmental delays in infants and children. If an infant is having a difficult time exiting the birth canal, a doctor may be required to carefully twist and turn the baby's head to help with the delivery. If the doctor is negligent and pulls and twists too hard, the physician may cause damage to the nerves running from the spine through the neck and armpit area of the arm, which can result in Erbs palsy, which results in paralysis of the body. View Erbs Palsy video for a visual demonstration of how this type of birth injury can occur. Signs for physical damage and developmental delays may include a limp arm with the infant.
A child with developmental delays resulting from a birth injury may require a lifetime of medical care, including physical therapy, medicine, doctors appointments, operations, even a full time caregiver. If you believe your child received a birth injury or was the victim of medical malpractice after birth, you may have a case for medical negligence or medical malpractice. You should consult with a professional medical malpractice lawyer who specializes in birth injuries and developmental delays.
