Call us at 1-800-682-9443
Birth Injury Resource Center
Contact Us
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy, PPHN or any other birth related injury, please fill out this form or call us at 1-800-682-9443 for a free case evaluation.
Other Birth Injuries
While any kind of birth injury is alarming, some resolve in time with little or no treatment, although complications can make the prognosis less favorable. The following examples describe these types of birth injuries.
Caput Succedaneum
During the birthing process, uterine contractions exert tremendous pressure on the fetus. This pressure is the driving force that propels the newborn through the birth canal. It is also one of the causes of caput succedaneum, a severe swelling of the soft tissues of the baby's scalp. Use of vacuum extraction to deliver the baby increases the risk for caput succedaneum, which can lead to bruising and discoloration as well as molding of the head. Although this birth injury typically disappears in a matter of days without further problems, jaundice is an infrequent complication.
Cephalohematoma
Sometimes the pressure exerted on the fetus during childbirth causes bleeding between the bones of the scalp and the tough membrane that protects them. Cephalohematoma is the medical term for the collection of blood and bruising at the site of the bleeding. The use of forceps or vacuum extraction increase the risk for this birth injury, and in the case of forceps delivery, the bleeding may be a sign of a skull fracture. Typically appearing several hours after delivery, most cephalohematomas disappear completely within two to three months without complications. If the cephalohematoma is large, jaundice may occur as the red blood cells break down.
Fracture
Fractures can happen to newborns in both traumatic and non-traumatic deliveries. The bone most commonly fractured is the clavicle (or collar bone), often as the result of shoulder dystocia. These factures usually heal quickly and without complication. Fractures of the bones in the legs and arms sometimes occur during difficult deliveries; they usually heal very well. Skull fractures are uncommon and typically caused by the use of forceps.
Klumpke’s Palsy
Another form of brachial plexus palsy (see Erb's palsy) is Klumpke's palsy. This birth injury is caused by an injury to the lower brachial plexus, resulting in paralysis of the hand and wrist. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by stretching of the baby's neck during a delivery involving shoulder dystocia or a breech extraction. Most brachial plexus injuries resolve completely over time.
Facial Paralysis
Pressure on a baby's face during labor and delivery or the use of forceps during delivery may cause injury to the facial nerve, resulting in facial paralysis. Facial paralysis is often visible when the baby cries, as there is no movement and the eye does not close on the affected side of the face. Depending on the extent of injury to the nerve, this birth injury may heal on its own in a few weeks, or surgery may be required.
Support for Parents of Birth-Injured Children
If your child suffers from a birth-related injury, you may find comfort in talking with other parents in a similar situation. To share your story, ask questions, and learn more about caring for a child with a birth injury, please visit the Birth Injury Resource Center Discussion Board.