Although the birth of a new baby is a beautiful thing, it is also one of the most intense situations a couple may ever experience. Unfortunately, the energy in the room can cause doctors to make mistakes during deliveries leading to infantile birth injuries. While many birth injuries result in nothing more than a scratch, others can lead to brain damage.

Therefore, every new parent should know about these brain-related birth injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a birth injury resulting from oxygen deprivation. Sadly, one minute of oxygen deprivation could result in minor brain damage in an infant, and longer timeframes can result in permanent disabilities.

Oxygen deprivation comes in two forms, a complete lack of oxygen and a partial lack of oxygen. Unfortunately, brain injuries can occur from both scenarios. For this reason, doctors and nurses should be constantly checking infants’ statuses throughout the delivery process.

Meningitis & Jaundice

Meningitis and jaundice are two complications infants may be born with. While doctors cannot prevent meningitis and jaundice from occurring when newborns, they can recognize and treat these issues before they become more serious.

Unfortunately, not every doctor will catch this complication fast enough, and when left unchecked, both problems can result in infantile brain injuries.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a brain injury that can stem from maternal infections, infant strokes, and infant infections. In many instances, cerebral palsy is a symptom of another birth complication, and doctors can often prevent cerebral palsy scenarios if they make the right decisions leading up to and during deliveries.

If you believe your infant is dealing with a brain injury, it may have been caused by negligence. Call (503) 862-8666 for a free consultation concerning your case.