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Infant Spinal Cord Injuries from Birth Injury

catastrophic injury

Children and infants represent five percent of all spinal cord injuries in the United States. In some of these cases, the damage was the result of a birth injury. The effects of infant spinal cord injuries can be devastating so it is important to understand how the injury happened, if anything could have been done to prevent the damage and if your child may recover.

Spinal cord injuries may be caused by:

  • Blunt force trauma or another medical issue affecting the spine that causes a bruise (contusion) or tear (transection)
  • Failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis of spina bifida. Spina bifida occurs when the vertebrae does not completely enclose the raw nerves of the spine. When medical staff is unaware of the condition in an infant they may touch the nerves, causing further damage.

How do infant spinal cord injuries happen during childbirth?

Infant spinal cord injuries from birth injuries can be the result of:

  • Traction on an infant’s trunk
  • Rotational stresses to the spinal axis
  • Hyperextension of the fetal head (called “turtle syndrome”) from abnormal birthing positions (most common during breech and face-first)
  • Brachial plexus Palsy-related damage to the spinal cord and nerves
  • Over-stretching of the spinal cord

An experienced birth injury attorney will help answer your questions and determine whether you have a case for medical malpractice.

Infant spinal cord injury symptoms

Infant spinal cord injury symptoms vary depending on the part of the spinal cord that was injured and the severity of the damage. Data from the Boston Children’s Hospital found that around 60 to 75 percent of all spinal cord injuries sustained by infants and children are in the neck area, generally the area that causes the most serious damage. About 20 percent of infant spinal cord injuries occur in the upper back or chest area, while five to 20 percent occur in the lower back portion of the spine.

Note that not all symptoms will be experienced in each case. Common infant spinal cord injury symptoms include:

  • Loss of touch sensation
  • failure to move / paralysis
  • Bowel and bladder control problems (not typically recognized until the infant is a toddler)
  • Abnormal reflexes
  • Spasms
  • Stinging pains caused by nerve damage around the spinal cord
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Muscular weakness
  • Intellectual disabilities

Is infant spinal cord damage permanent?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), some infant spinal cord injuries are permanent while some are repairable. When an injury is incomplete, the brain may be able to send messages to the spinal cord in order to recover motor and sensory function. When an injury is complete, on the other hand, a total loss of the sensory and motor function occurs, which makes the chances for recovery very slim.

The good news is that many spinal cord injuries are mild and will not cause permanent damage if proper treatment and healing is implemented. Physicians may use braces or even steroids to help heal the area and prevent further damage.

If your newborn child has a permanent spinal cord injury and you believe that it may have been caused by medical negligence during the birth process, you should seek legal advice from a qualified birth injury lawyer today.

The Seattle personal injury attorneys at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC have years of experience representing families harmed by medical malpractice, birth injuries and other personal injuries. We seek justice for patients who have been harmed by preventable medical errors including wrongful death, catastrophic injuries and traumatic brain injuries in Seattle and across Washington State. There are no fees or expenses to file a personal injury case as we only receive payment if we recover damages on your behalf. Do not delay; personal injury claims come with a statute of limitations, which means they must be filed within a certain time frame of the injury.

Call us now at (206) 752-4366 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate, experienced Seattle injury lawyers. We are ready to fight for you.