3 Reasons Parents Often Miss Signs Of Birth Injury At The Hospital
Anticipating the arrival of a new baby is one of the most exciting times in your life, and if you are like most parents to be, you will fully trust the medical professionals to ensure your baby is delivered safely. Unfortunately, birth injuries can and do happen, whether it is because of improper attention to you and your baby's needs during delivery or a basic accident. One of the keys to treating different forms of birth injuries is for the problem to be recognized immediately after your baby is born, but sometimes the signs are missed. Take a look at some of the reasons the symptoms of birth injury can be missed by new parents at the hospital.
Parents Have Lack of Experience with a Newborn Baby
If the baby is your first and you have not been around a lot of newborns, you might assume that some of the symptoms associated with birth injury are just normal behavior. For example, if the baby seems to be screaming and crying a great deal, you could assume that newborn babies are supposed to cry and seem upset. Because inexperience can prevent you from seeing a problem, it is best to understand the signs of a birth injury before you deliver.
Some Symptoms of Birth Injury Are Slow to Show Up
Not every birth injury case involves signs and symptoms that you might immediately recognize. In fact, some symptoms come on in a slow progression. For example, if your child suffers a muscle or bone injury, they could experience systemic symptoms, such as low oxygen levels in the blood or changes in vision. In these situations, your baby may seem fine right after delivery, but gradually start to show signs that they are not well soon after. It is for this reason that it is crucial to closely monitor your newborn both in the hospital and after you go home.
Medical Staff Fail to Perform Proper Testing On the Infant
In extremely rare cases, the proper testing that should be performed on an infant after birth are disregarded or overlooked by medical professionals. This tends to only happen with tests that are not mandated, but optional when defects or injury are suspected by the treating professionals.
Educating yourself about the possibility of birth injury while you are pregnant is one of the best things you can do to get prepared for your labor and delivery in the hospital. If you believe your child was injured at birth, reach out to a birth injury attorney for advice.
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