Erb's Palsy Birth Injuries in Weston

Put Years of Experience in Your Corner

If the medical staff in charge of your child's birth fail to conduct themselves in a professional manner, or fail to exercise utmost caution during the entire procedure, damaging birth injuries may occur to the mother or the child. One of the more common forms of harm that can afflict a newborn is known as Erb's palsy – a form of obstetric brachial plexus disorder that damages the nerves of the upper arm and shoulder – and occurs in about one in every 500 births; although, research suggests that many of the incidents of this birth injury could have been totally prevented, and only happen due to medical malpractice.

Erb's palsy may occur during birth due to:

1. Labor difficulty: Doctors and physicians are trusted to ensure that labor goes as smoothly as possible. When they do not monitor the baby well enough, it may begin the birthing process at an awkward angle, contorting its arms.
2. Excessive pulling: Attempting to pull the baby out forcefully by the shoulders drastically increases the chance of the newborn suffering from this disorder.
3. Breech birth: Failure to monitor a mother in labor can lead to a breech birth, or a delivery of the baby feet or buttocks first. In turn, this awkward position forces the arms upwards over the infant's head, possibly damaging its brachial plexus and causing Erb's palsy.

What are Symptoms of Erb's Palsy?

As Erb's palsy is largely a nerve injury, it will not likely be clearly evident that it is afflicting your newborn. Your child might not even exhibit any signs of the birth injury for quite some time. You can, however, keep a close eye on your baby to try to determine if it has this serious condition.

If your child persistently exhibits any of the following symptoms, you may need to contact a erbs palsy attorney about Erb's palsy right away:

• Keeping the arm limp or close to the side
• Disproportionately weak grip strength
• Partial or full paralysis of the entire arm
• No reaction to sensation applied to upper arm
• Abnormal development of the limb