Posted on September 1st, 2010
A study published in the September 1st issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, shows a link between the timing of a delivery and the chances of a child developing cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a muscular and movement disorder that occurs as a result of brain damage incurred at birth.
In the study, researchers found that babies who were born after 37 weeks of gestation were 90 percent more likely to have cerebral palsy than those born at 40 weeks. Additionally, babies born at 42 weeks or later were 40 percent more likely to develop the disorder than babies born at 40 weeks.
Doctors are still unsure of all the factors that contribute to a baby developing cerebral palsy. One doctor states, “Until these biological mechanisms are better understood, it would be hasty to recommend intervention on delivery time based on this study”.
If you or someone you love has developed cerebral palsy due to brain injury at birth, contact the Philadelphia cerebral palsy lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on August 27th, 2010
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends doctors give mothers undergoing a C-section antibiotics before the surgery, in order to prevent possible birth-related infections. Generally, antibiotics are administered after the surgery because it was once believed that the antibiotics could harm the child if given to the mother before delivery. Now, medical researchers at the ACOG have concluded that data shows newborns are not harmed if mothers take antibiotics while pregnant.
Dr. William H. Barth, chair of the ACOG’s committee on Obstetric Practice, stated, “We’re recommending that all women who undergo cesarean get a preventative course of antibiotics before the surgery starts. Ideally, this should happen within 60 minutes of surgery”. Officials at the ACOG say that the recommendation does not extend to pregnant women who are already taking antibiotics for another reason.
Infections are the most common form of complication from C-section deliveries. Ten to forty percent of women who undergo C-sections will develop an infection. Only one to three percent of women who deliver vaginally will suffer from birth-related infections.
If you or someone you love has suffered from a C-section-related complication, contact the Philadelphia C-sections attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on August 19th, 2010
University of Illinois, known for its accessibility for students with disabilities, recently opened the country’s most user-friendly dorm. The dorm is the first new dorm opened on the campus in 44 years.
Students with disabilities will live on the dorm’s first floor. The dorm building is connected to a dining hall, convenience store, and meeting spaces. Some of the dorm room features include a wireless pager that can call for help 24 hours a day, a remote-controlled ceiling lift system to transport wheelchair bound students from their bed to the bathroom, buttons to close or open window blinds, and low sinks, thermostat, and light switches. The doors to the dorm are opened by waving a card over a sensor, sinks are activated by sensor, and all roll-in showers have chairs.
Also, the dorm has personal assistants working at all times who can come at the push of a button. Ellen Fultz, the mother of a 21-year old transfer student with cerebral palsy stated, “It is truly better than what we have at home”.
If you or someone you love developed cerebral palsy due to a birth injury, contact the Philadelphia cerebral palsy lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on August 12th, 2010
Northern Westchester Hospital recently announced their attempts to overturn the $56 million verdict in a birth injury lawsuit won by a a family last year whose son suffered from shoulder dystocia at birth which caused serious brain injury. Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes caught on a mother’s pelvic bone during labor. If this happens, the baby can suffer oxygen deprivation which often leads to brain damage, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. Also, the baby can suffer damage to the braxial plexus nerves located in the shoulders, which can cause Erb’s palsy.
The family’s son suffered from permanent brain and nerve damage, internal bleeding, and bruising as a result of the birth injury. Last year, a court found Northern Westchester Hospital guilty of failing to handle the situation in a timely manner causing permanent and serious brain injury. The result was one of the highest jury awards in the state last year.
If you or someone you love has suffered from brain injuries incurred at birth, contact the Philadelphia brain damage lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on August 6th, 2010
The Virginia Department of Social Services created a web page last month that is dedicated to preventing shaken baby syndrome in the state.
Shaken baby syndrome usually occurs when a baby is violently shaken by its parents or other caretakers, typically as a result of extreme frustration or stress. Long-lasting and sometimes fatal brain damage can occur if a baby suffers from shaken baby syndrome.
From 2001-2009, Child Protective Services in Virginia have 45 cases on file of children dying from shaken baby syndrome. There are many more records of children suffering from the symptoms, which include seizures, blindness, cerebral palsy, and learning and physical disabilities.
The website was formed as a part of a new law Governor Bob McDonnell signed requiring that information on the syndrome be placed online. Commissioner of the VDSS, Martin Brown, stated, “It’s critical that parents and caretakers understand just how much damage can result from shaking an infant or toddler … We’re providing practical suggestions for recognizing and diffusing the stressors that put children and caretakers at risk”.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of shaken baby syndrome, contact the Philadelphia shaken baby syndrome lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 1-888-244-2273 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on July 29th, 2010
The University of Iowa and Big Ten Conference star Adrian Clayborn has had to overcome a lot of odds to accomplish the things he has, including the birth injury Erb’s Palsy. Erb’s Palsy most often occurs in breech births, or when a baby is born feet first, and results from pressure on the baby’s shoulders causing damage to the nerves in the brachial plexus. Approximately one out of every thousand births will suffer from brachial nerve injury, and the risk is even greater in large babies. Clayborn was 11 pounds and 3 ounces when he was born.
Clayborn suffered from weakness and loss of movement in his right arm due to the nerve damage, but after years of physical therapy starting at a young age, he was able to regain movement. Today, many would argue that he is the best player in the Big Ten Conference. Last season, Clayborn was selected First-Team All-Big Ten and won the MVP award at the 2010 Orange Bowl.
If you or someone you love suffers from Erb’s Palsy, contact the Philadelphia Erb’s Palsy lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on July 22nd, 2010
A jury in Staten Island recently awarded $510,000 to 4-year old Xzavier Hyman and his family after he was deprived of oxygen at birth and now suffers from brain injuries. Xzavier suffered three to four strokes and three seizures within ten hours after being born at the University Hospital in Staten Island. Xzavier is experiencing motor-skill and speech deficiencies due to his brain injury.
Xzavier’s family argued that their obstetrician-gynecologist left his mother on the drug pitocin for too long causing her to have “relentless” contractions. The contractions put too much pressure on the baby’s brain while the flow of blood and oxygen to him decreased, leaving him deprived of oxygen. The jury found that these practices were not appropriate considering how long she had been in labor, and that doctors should have performed a cesarean section.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a birth injury causing brain damage, contact the Philadelphia brain damage lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on July 15th, 2010
15-year old Mikayla Resh of Allentown, Pennsylvania is speaking out to help raise money for educational programs and “inspire kids of all abilities to share the message of inclusion”.
Mikayla was born with serious brain damage, later causing cerebral palsy, seizures, hearing impairment, blindness, and other medical conditions. Mikayla can’t speak, but her mother didn’t want this to make her excluded from all the enjoyment life can bring. She has been included in regular education classes since kindergarten.
Now, Mikayla and her mother have created a non-profit dedicated to including children of all abilities called, Mikayla’s VOICE. VOICE is an acronym for the voice of inclusion for children everywhere.
Brain damage incurred at birth can have permanent physical and mental effects. If you or someone you love has suffered brain damage at birth, contact the Philadelphia brain damage lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
Posted on July 9th, 2010
The Louisiana parents of a nineteen-month old baby who died as a result of complications from the failure to treat asphyxia after his birth are suing the state of Louisiana and the doctors involved in the baby’s birth.
The parents, Ashley Robinchaux and Harris Irvin, believe that a cesarean section should have been performed, but doctors failed to recognize this. Their son was then born suffering from a lack of oxygen, and doctors and nurses failed to perform the appropriate resuscitation technique needed to prevent further injury. According to Robincaux and Irvin, before their son’s death, he required constant care 24 hours a day due to severe brain damage and other anoxic birth injuries.
Posted on July 7th, 2010
A new study conducted by researchers in Denmark shows that fertility treatments could increase the chances of having a child born with cerebral palsy. The study was published last month in the medical journal “Human Reproduction”.
The study looks at 588,967 children born in Denmark between 1995 and 2003. Out of the children, 33,139 were born out of a result of in vitro fertilization or ovulation induction. As of 2009, 1,146 of those born due to in vitro fertilization or ovulation induction were diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Researchers concluded that the chances were nearly double that a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy if born through fertility treatment than if not.
Cerebral palsy can be caused before, at, or after birth due damage to the neural connections between the cerebrum and cerebellum.
If your or someone you love has been the victim of a birth injury causing cerebral palsy, contact the Philadelphia cerebral palsy lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 to learn more about your rights.
