Disabilities that occurring in very young children are not always caused by birthing trauma. In some cases, however, the child seems and tests healthy prior to the birth but then develops problems, including developmental problems and physical limitations. In these situations, it may be necessary to consider what occurred during birth to cause this to occur. In some cases, it is impossible to pinpoint the actual cause.
In some cases, the birthing process can become complex or difficult due to the limitations on the child’s breathing. If the child does not receive the necessary oxygen during birth, this can lead to complications including mental disabilities. This can occur due to the cord being around the child’s neck or neglect when the child is born.
Another problem that can occur relates to physical disabilities. Motor skills and overall physical movement may be minimized in some children due to the way in which the child was born. If a doctor, for example, pulls on the child’s arm because the child is too large for the birth canal, this can cause problems with the arm, but also can damage the spinal column, cutting off signals from the body to the brain. Many of these types of outcomes can be prevented through proper health screenings of the child throughout pregnancy as well as into the birthing process.
In any situation where you believe that someone did not do his or her job properly and that lead to the development of disabilities in a child, consider speaking to an attorney. An attorney can help to determine what the underlying problem and cause of the disability, which could, in turn, help you to get the child’s compensation for the disability. Carefully considering the potential causes is critical to understand if negligence was a factor. In many cases, it is not, but in others it does play a role.