Many people hear of children and adults who have become paralyzed following a spinal cord injury, stroke, or other medical emergency. Birth Paralysis might also leave a newborn paralyzed, although most people aren’t aware that this can happen. Complications during labor and delivery might bring on this paralysis. For example, a prolapsed umbilical cord or prolonged labor might result in injuries to the brain or spinal cord and leave the baby paralyzed. What should parents know if their child is injured in this way?
What is Paralysis?
When a person loses muscle control over specific parts of the body, doctors refer to them as paralyzed. This loss of control may be complete or partial, depending on the extent of damage to the nerves that connect the body parts to the brain. The muscles are no longer able to receive signals from the brain that direct them to move, so the person is unable to move the muscles voluntarily.
Understanding the Different Types of Paralysis
Paralysis may not affect the entire body. People often hear about partial vs. complete birth-related paralysis and don’t know what this means. Doctors might also refer to temporary and permanent paralysis. Understanding what they are talking about is the first step in helping the child have the highest quality of life.
If the doctor discusses partial and temporary paralysis, muscle control may return over time. The child may recover quickly, or it could take weeks or months, but the muscle group is not immobilized. In contrast, complete and permanent paralysis means the muscles have sustained damage to the point where they are not movable, and the limb will never function properly.
Babies benefit from physical therapy to retrain the functioning muscles and strengthen them. However, permanent paralysis won’t respond to this therapy, so other therapies will be offered. In addition, the child will be provided with assistive devices to help them have the highest quality of life. Treating either type of paralysis is costly, and parents may need help paying for this care.
Common Types of Birth Paralysis
Doctors consider the muscles affected when determining which type of paralysis an infant has. Monoplegia is the diagnosis when only one region of the body is affected. The baby may have no movement or sensation in one limb, but the rest of the body remains unaffected. Oxygen deprivation during delivery may lead to cerebral palsy and a monoplegia diagnosis. However, nerve or brain damage during delivery could also be the underlying cause. Monoplegia may be temporary or permanent.
Diplegia is another condition seen in children who have cerebral palsy. Symmetrical parts of the body are paralyzed, such as both legs or arms. This condition is the most common cause of crippling in young children.
Hemiplegia affects one side of the body. Newborns may be unable to move one side of their body, or they may struggle with muscle weakness that eventually reaches the point where they are completely paralyzed. Every child is different, so the degree of paralysis will also vary. The underlying cause of the condition and other health issues may contribute to its progression. Early treatment is beneficial for these children. Hemiplegia is often the result of cerebral palsy or a brain injury during birth.
When a baby cannot move their lower limbs and possibly the trunk, they likely have paraplegia. They often have no sensation below the waist, and the odds of recovery are low with no treatment. The nerves may naturally regenerate, but that doesn’t happen frequently. Physical therapists work with these newborns to retrain the brain and compensate for the loss of movement. Spinal cord damage and oxygen deprivation are common causes of paraplegia in newborns.
Quadriplegia is the diagnosis when all limbs are paralyzed or the child cannot move from the neck down. A quadriplegic may still have some movement or functioning in body parts below the neck, and physical therapy may help them regain this movement or functionality. In a few cases, the condition is temporary, but for most newborns, it is permanent.
What Might Cause a Baby to Be Born Paralyzed?
Many things may lead to a newborn being paralyzed at birth. Cerebral palsy is the result of brain damage during labor or delivery, and different forms of paralysis are common with this damage. Flaccid paralysis leads to soft, flabby muscles, while spastic paralysis results in tight muscles. They twitch and jerk involuntarily. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is one type of brain damage sustained during labor and delivery that can lead to paralysis.
When the mom’s pelvis is small and the baby is large, doctors must worry about cephalopelvic disproportion. Labor may be prolonged, or the doctor might need to use an instrument to deliver the baby. Prolonged labor and instrument-assisted delivery can lead to a child with Klumpke’s palsy, facial paralysis, and other life-altering conditions.
Negligence
A birth injury might be an accident or the result of a congenital disorder. However, there are times when the doctor acts negligently and the child ends up paralyzed. Prolonging labor rather than performing a C-section to ensure the baby has oxygen is one way a doctor can be negligent. The improper use of a vacuum or forceps can also lead to brain, spinal, or nerve damage and paralysis.
Parents should consult with an attorney if their child suffers a birth injury and is paralyzed or has other complications. The attorney will help them determine if the doctor acted negligently and can be held responsible. Medical and therapeutic costs quickly add up when treating a child with paralysis, and the responsible parties should cover these costs.
A skilled birth injury attorney will help the parents navigate the legal system so they can continue with their child’s medical and therapeutic appointments, knowing the legal side is covered. Parents deserve financial support so they can provide their children with the highest quality of life. The attorney works to ensure they receive this support. Contact an attorney today to learn more about the next steps in filing the birth injury suit.
