Birth Injuries And Seizures Undiagnosed And Untreated

When a newborn suffers a seizure it is a very terrifying experience.  These seizures are often one of the symptoms of brain injuries, cerebral palsy, or another serious condition.  These conditions most often occur due to the oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery.  Seizures in newborns should be aggressively treated.  These treatments can include medication and surgery.  Should a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional fail to identify and treat a seizure promptly the condition of the newborn can worsen.

There are different types of seizures that children can suffer from.  These types include:

• Focal Seizures – result from abnormal electrical activity which adheres to one hemisphere of the brain.  The child may or may not lose consciousness.  The child may also experience changes in vision, hearing, or smell.
• Generalized Seizures – include both hemispheres of the brain.  The child will lose consciousness as well as experience a feeling of exhaustion after the seizure.
• Febrile Seizures – the child’s muscles will contract, causing the limbs to stiffen or more severe convulsions.
• Status Epilepticus – occurs when infant seizures merge into a single continuous seizure.  This type of seizure requires hospitalization.

When diagnosing an infant’s seizure, the doctor will need to identify the cause and the type.  An MRI scan will be ordered and the image of the child’s brain evaluated.  An EEG may also be ordered so that any unusual electrical brain activity can be assessed.

In order to treat an infant seizure, the cause of the seizure will need to be established.  The doctor may prescribe medicine in order to cure the illness that is causing the infants seizures.  Anti-seizure medication may also be prescribed so that the frequency and duration of seizures will also be minimized.  Surgery to remove portions of the infant’s brain is used as a last resort.

Parents of newborns who have suffered seizures will often have questions regarding whether the doctors did everything they reasonably could have in order to treat their child.  Additionally, there may be questions of whether their child’s underlying condition should have been treated differently.

When it comes to medical malpractice claims for birth injuries, it is important to have an attorney who has access to experts in the field.  These experts are needed to review the evidence and give their opinions regarding the cause of the child’s injuries.

In order to get the answers the parents need, a medical malpractice attorney can be very important.  These answers can provide families with solace after a birth injury.  Contact an experienced Kingston, New York medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.