Every parent’s hope that their child is born healthy and does not have to live with any developmental abnormalities. Unfortunately, every year, children are born with serious developmental handicaps that could make life a challenge for them. In some cases, these abnormalities could have been avoided if a doctor in charge of the mother’s pregnancy acted responsibly. If your child was a victim of medical malpractice, consult with an experienced attorney for infant developmental abnormalities.
Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA are prepared to offer you the legal representation needed to pursue a negligent doctor and hospital that may have injured your child. Developmental issues can severely impact a child for a large portion of their life; your child should not have to bear the burden of a doctor’s mistake. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your claim, contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA at (305) 694-2676, or contact us online.
Common Infant Developmental Abnormalities
Infant developmental abnormalities are health issues that affect a child once they begin to grow. As a result, it can be difficult to determine whether a birth injury was the cause of a child’s developmental disabilities because of when the child may manifest symptoms. However, just because a child does not exhibit signs and symptoms of a developmental issue for a time does not mean that they were not a victim of medical malpractice.
The following is a list of common infant developmental abnormalities that a child may exhibit due to medical malpractice:
Difficulties with Walking
Every parent looks forward to the developmental milestone of when their child graduates from crawling to walking. However, if your child starts to drag one of their legs when they begin to walk, this a serious issue that could be caused by a number of conditions.
Cerebral palsy is one condition that could cause a child to drag their leg while they are walking. As cerebral palsy is not a condition that children typically inherit or are born with, this condition can often be linked to a birth injury caused by a negligent doctor. It is important to note that there are other conditions caused by a birth injury that may lead to developmental walking disorders:
- Juvenile arthritis – A swelling of the tissue that lines the inside of joints (synovium) that generally affects children under the age of 16
- Infections
- Myositis – Inflammation of a child’s muscles that are needed for walking
- Severe leg injuries
- Parkinson’s Disease – Nervous system disorder that substantially impacts a person’s mobility
- Neuropathy – Damage to nerves near the brain and spinal cord that then causes loss of sensation in the hands and feet
Involuntary Neck Movements
If you notice that your child appears to move their neck for no apparent reason, this could be a sign that they may not have full control of the muscles in their neck. While involuntary neck movements can be caused by other issues like the child being tired, these neck movements can also be a sign of a serious health condition.
If your child often leans their neck back, this could be a sign of cerebral palsy or an issue like gastrointestinal influx when feeding. If your child suffered a neck injury during the delivery process, this could be the cause of the involuntary neck movements.
Abnormal Reflexes
As your child grows, their reflexes should improve. However, if you notice that your child has difficulty reacting or fails to react to events at all, this may be an indication of serious nerve damage. Nerve damage is typically an injury that may take weeks or even months for a person to manifest symptoms. As a result, it may be difficult to link a possible birth injury to nerve damage that a child suffered.
The type of reflex issues that affect a child can vary depending on where they suffered nerve damage. For example, if a child has difficulties moving their arms to react, this can be an indication that nerve damage could be affecting their brachial plexus nerves or their brain. Additionally, if a child has shown poor reflexes in their legs, this could be a sign that they have developed cerebral palsy.
There are other health disorders and conditions that could cause your child to have developmental issues. If you believe that a physician or a hospital was responsible for your child having developmental issues, we can help you determine the appropriate way to proceed with your claim.
Contact Our Experienced Miami Medical Malpractice Attorneys To Evaluate Your Case
If your child has a developmental abnormality due to the negligence of a doctor, contact an experienced Miami medical malpractice lawyer today. With a wide range of experience litigating complex medical malpractice cases, injury lawyer Prosper Shaked would be honored to work with you. To schedule a free legal case evaluation, contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA at (305) 694-2676.