The birth of a baby is often a celebrated time in the life of Houston parents. However, children, and especially infants, present challenges to the lives of those whose families they join, especially when their arrival is marred by birth injuries.
While some children suffer genetic or chromosomal issues that affect their health after birth, other healthy children are subjected to medical negligence and malpractice during their labor and deliveries that result in devastating and often irreversible harm. Although, genetic defects in a child are not the result of doctors’ mistakes and errors, issues related to hypoxia during the birth process can be traced back to medical negligence.
Hypoxia occurs when a human brain is deprived of oxygen. During the birth process, a baby may suffer hypoxia before, during or after they come into the world. As such, a doctor’s negligence while providing prenatal care, during the actual birth process, or in their monitoring of an infant after birth, can result in brain injuries due to hypoxia.
In some instances, hypoxia in an infant will resolve with time. Mild cases of hypoxia may remedy as the child ages, though more serious forms of the issue can have long-term consequences. Serious forms of hypoxia can cause serious brain damage, cerebral palsy, cognitive problems and other serious injuries.
A child born with hypoxia may require specialized care for the rest of their life. But, not every case of hypoxia is the result of medical negligence. Parents whose children have suffered this life-altering problem may wish to discuss their situations with medical malpractice attorneys who may advise them of their rights and options for protecting their children’s futures.
