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Exploring Types of Criminal Offenses

4 Crucial Birth Injury Treatments

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Babies can suffer different birth injuries during delivery or labor. Some of these injuries can be severe, and others mild. While this is unfortunate, the parent must get the right treatment for their child as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the injury, the different treatment methods are discussed below.

Physical Therapy

Children born with cerebral palsy due to brain damage undergo physical therapy as part of their treatment. Since this condition affects how the muscles move, children can work with a physical therapist to develop strength, flexibility, better balance, and coordination.

Surgery

Surgery is used to treat severe nerve damage and skull fractures. Damage to the brachial plexus nerves can be severe or mild. When mild, the baby can recover with time using minimal or no treatment. However, in severe cases where the nerves are torn, surgery is used in an attempt to repair the damage. Surgery is also used to treat skull fractures. When the fracture is small, it may heal on its own. In severe cases, the fracture can lead to bleeding in the brain, which is dangerous. Surgery is, therefore, necessary to drain out the blood.

Medication

There is a variety of medications used to treat symptoms resulting from birth injuries. The drugs are not curative, but they help manage and reduce symptoms associated with birth injuries. Painkillers can help children with cerebral palsy who often suffer from tight muscles and painful muscle spasms. It is also common for children with brain damage to experience seizures. A doctor will administer anti-seizure medication, which helps reduce the frequency of these episodes. There is also Botox, used for children with Erb’s palsy or cerebral palsy. When injected, it paralyzes certain muscles, which gives the weaker and injured muscles time to develop.

Hypothermia Treatment

Hypothermia is used to treat brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. It has proven to be effective in reversing this type of injury. The baby is cooled to about 92 degrees for about three days. During the process, the baby is sedated to prevent shivering. This treatment is effective when used immediately after birth.

Children can also benefit from supplemental treatments like acupuncture which helps reduce pain. Recreational therapy like art and music can also help a child with cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries completely change the lives of the affected family. You will find some mothers suffering from postpartum depression when they experience a traumatic birth experience. The results can be a damaged relationship between the child and the mother or a reduced lactation period. Having a child diagnosed with brain injury can cause anxiety and depression in both parents, leading to a strained marriage. Siblings, too, get affected since they have to deal with a big responsibility at a younger age than their counterparts. You may find that they are isolated from their peers with minimal social life. Due to the big impact of looking after a child suffering from injuries related to birth, parents should ensure they get compensated. When the injury results from negligence on the part of the physician, parents should find a birth injury lawyer to represent them as they file a lawsuit against the negligent party.