Princeton HIE Birth Injury Lawyers

Medical Negligence: Leading Causes of HIE

As mentioned, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is commonly caused by some form of medical malpractice. If a medical provider does not give the same level of care and attention to a pregnant mother and her child as another medical professional would have in the same situation, and that negligence leads to HIE, then there could be a convincing cause to file an HIE injury claim.

Five of the most common causes of HIE that can go unnoticed by a medical provider are:

• Umbilical cord strangulation: During delivery, doctors and nurses must be careful to prevent the umbilical cord from wrapping around the infant, which can cause strangulation. An emergency C-section can be used to quickly complete the delivery if this hazard occurs.
• Placental abruption: When the placenta separates from the uterus before birth, it is called placental abruption, an extremely dangerous condition that can starve the unborn child or dramatically reduce their blood-oxygen levels. Obstetricians need to pay close attention to a pregnant mother and her unborn child’s vital signs to recognize the signs of placental abruption.
• Infection: In labor and delivery, a newborn can become infected with any diseases or bacteria that are affecting the mother. Severe infections can cause high blood toxicity, leading to HIE. Medical professionals should conduct tests if they suspect the child might be sick shortly after birth and use antibiotics as necessary.
• Fetal heart failure: A sudden drop in blood pressure or oxygen levels can cause fetal heart failure or fetal distress, which is one of the most dangerous types of birth injury. Failing to monitor the child’s pulse and take action as needed can cause hypoxia.
• Premature birth: Premature babies are at a noticeably higher risk of HIE and other birth injuries. Medical providers must take adequate steps to prevent premature birth. Failing to explore options with a pregnant mother can constitute medical malpractice answerable with a lawsuit.

Identifying HIE: Symptoms in Newborns

Diagnosing HIE is not always simple. Mild to moderate cases of HIE will not always cause immediately noticeable complications, so it could be weeks or months until a child begins to show signs that something is wrong.

If you suspect your child might have an HIE-related birth injury, look for:

• Eating or nursing difficulties
• Sluggish movements with poor reflexes
• Labored breathing
• Bodily frailty
• Seizures
• Confused or lethargic state

Please call your pediatrician as soon as possible if your child is exhibiting symptoms of hypoxia. Call 911 if your child is suffering from seizures or breathing complications.

Understanding HIE: Is There a Cure?

HIE causes brain damage that cannot be completely cured. Brain damage caused by HIE can also spread to healthy cells as the damaged cells die and release toxins into surrounding tissues. Therapeutic hypothermia – a medical treatment that involves cooling a newborn’s brain – can help slow or halt this dangerous process of spreading toxicity within the brain. Medical providers who do not use therapeutic hypothermia correctly or at all after noticing a newborn might be suffering some form of brain damage could be held liable for that mistake through an HIE birth injury claim.

Rehabilitative therapies can help alleviate or minimize some of the lifelong symptoms of HIE. For example, if a child is born with muscular weakness due to HIE, then physical therapy throughout their life can help strengthen their muscles and regain some degree of physical independence.

Seek Justice with Princeton's Trusted HIE Attorneys

Knowing that your child is now struggling due to HIE – and perhaps will always struggle in this way – can be heartbreaking. Knowing the birth injury happened due to a medical provider’s negligence can be infuriating. When you are sorting through your emotions and trying to put your life back together, let our Princeton HIE attorneys get to work on making things better through an effective lawsuit filed on your behalf and that of your child. We know how much is at stake, so we will never slow down or retreat when representing you.

Contact Us for a Free Case Evaluation today to begin. Your child deserves the best.