5 Common Causes of Brain Damage at Birth

27 Mar 5 Common Causes of Brain Damage at Birth

Posted at 12:50h in Legal-Malpractice, Pediatrics by Contributing Writer

While the process of childbirth is fascinating, it also has significant hazards. Birth injuries are more common than many believe, so it is advisable to be aware of the risks. Infant brain injury can cause severe disorders, including Cerebral Palsy. Here are some typical reasons for brain injury in newborns.

Hydrocephalus

The rare disorder known as hydrocephalus results from fluid accumulating in the brain. It creates an aberrant head size growth in a baby to accommodate the additional fluid. Of every 500 infants, about one will have hydrocephalus. While some infants have genetic causes, others have premature delivery, infections, tumours, or bleeding within the brain.

If not addressed surgically, hydrocephalus can cause epilepsy, learning difficulties, visual problems, coordination problems, short-term memory loss, and more by overstressing the hollow portions (ventricles) in a baby’s brain.

Intraventricular Hemorrhage

Bleeding in or close to the hollow areas of a baby’s brain that house the cerebrospinal fluid (ventricles) is known as an Intraventricular Hemorrhage. Premature kids are most likely to experience it because their brain’s blood vessels are more fragile and prone to rupturing.

IVH is more likely to occur in babies who are smaller and born earlier. IVH is particularly prevalent in premature infants who have undergone physical stress. Nerve cells may be pressed against and harmed by brain haemorrhages. Severe cell damage can result in motor issues and brain impairment.

Newborn Cephalohematoma

Blood can accumulate behind a baby’s head following a challenging vaginal delivery. This condition is known as a newborn cephalohematoma. Typically, this collected blood appears as lumps or protuberances in the rear of the head. These brain haemorrhages might resemble bruises and develop soon after birth.

Newborn cephalohematomas often cure on their own and are not harmful. But if the hematoma is large and not treated right once, it can place too much strain on the baby’s brain tissue and cause long-term problems like infection or brain damage.

Umbilical Cord Issues

Up until the baby is born and breathing on its own, oxygen is transported from the mother via the umbilical cord. Many problems with the umbilical cord may arise and may disrupt the oxygen flow of the cord.

Should the umbilical cord twist, compress, or pinch at any moment during labor, the oxygen flow may be stopped entirely or just halted. Some umbilical cord problems, notably when the umbilical cord prolapses during birth or is lodged around the baby’s neck before birth, are particularly dangerous, and doctors only have a few minutes to respond before brain damage happens.

Jaundice

When oxygen deprivation causes baby brain injury, it is practically always something that happens during pregnancy or delivery. However, other forms of brain damage can strike in the initial days and weeks following birth.

Postnatal brain damage most may result from newborn jaundice. Jaundice results from bilirubin levels in the blood being too high. The yellowish result of red cell replacement is bilirubin. Usually, the liver breaks down bilirubin; newborn babies’ liver enzymes haven’t developed fully, which makes processing bilirubin more challenging.

Endnote

Should you have a child with brain injury, you could be asking if it might have been avoided. Many incidents of baby brain damage were avoidable; someone made the incorrect choice during labor and delivery. Consult a seasoned birth injury attorney if you wish to investigate this more and find possible legal remedies.

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#birthinjuries, #birthproblems, stroke