Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases involving sepsis. This is a bacterial infection that can originate and attack many parts of the body such as lungs, skin, intestines and urinary tract. Sepsis can even be fatal for your infant. There are incidents when this infection should have diagnosed and treated properly, and your newborn could have been prevented from harm. In such circumstances, there may be a child birth injury medical malpractice lawsuit.

Sepsis Facts

Sepsis is a serious infection caused by bacteria. It can originate in various parts of the body to produce toxins that cause the body immune system to attacks own tissues and organs.  Sepsis can lead to some very serious complications that affect the lungs, brain, kidneys, hearing, and can even be fatal. Though sepsis can affect people of all ages, it is common in babies under the age of 3 months.

Sepsis Symptoms

When sepsis occurs, bacteria and toxins produced by them cause changes in the patient’s body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and can even result in dysfunction of a body organ.  It is essential that the condition is timely diagnosed and treated by doctors and hospitals to prevent serious injury and harm to the baby.

If an infant suffers injuries due to sepsis that was not timely diagnosed and treated, it can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Children with severe sepsis often develop conditions that can affect the social, academic and vocational upbringing of the infant. These often require services that amount to a significant expense over a child’s lifetime and are sought as damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Contact a Michigan Sepsis Infection Malpractice Lawyer

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.

Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases involving hyperbilirubinemia. Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition characterized by excess bilirubin in blood. When the condition is not timely diagnosed and treated and an baby suffers injuries, it can give rise to a birth injury medical malpractice lawsuit.

Hyperbilirubinemia Facts

Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition in which there is excess bilirubin in blood. Bilirubin is formed by the break down of red blood cells. It is not simply for babies to get rid of bilirubin, and this substance tends to build up in blood and other fluids and tissues of the body. This is known as hyperbilirubinemia. As bilirubin has a yellow coloring, it causes the yellowing of skin and tissues, also known as jaundice.

Causes of Hyperbilirubinemia

In the course of pregnancy, the placenta excretes bilirubin. After the infant is born, the liver of the infant must take over this function. Some causes of hyperbilirubinemia include:

• Physiologic jaundice – this occurs as a normal response to the infant’s limited ability to excrete bilirubin in the early days of life
• Breast milk jaundice – nearly 2 percent of all breastfed babies develop this jaundice after the 1^st week.
• Jaundice from hemolysis – this occurs when the hemolytic disease in the newborn causes the breakdown of red blood cells
• Inadequate liver function – the infant may also be jaundiced due to inadequate liver function

Hyperbilirubinemia – A Concern

This condition can become a serious concern if large amounts of bilirubin are excreted into the blood. In those times, bilirubin can also cause permanent damage to the brain, developing a condition called kernicterus.

Symptoms of Hyperbilirubinemia

The most common symptoms of bilirubinemia are as follows:

• Lethargy and poor feeding
• Yellow coloring of the infant’s skin, usually starting from the facing and progressing downwards

Treatment for Hyperbilirubinemia

Treatment for hyperbilirubinemia is determined by the physician on the basis of baby’s age, overall health, medical history, baby’s tolerance for particular medications or therapies and your personal opinion and preference.

Some common treatment measures include:

• Phototherapy
• Fiberoptic blanket
• Exchange transfusion to replace the damaged blood with fresh blood
• Ceasing breastfeeding for 1-2 days
• Treating an underlying cause that may be causing hyperbilirubinemia

Contact a Michigan Hyperbilirubinemia Malpractice Lawyer

If an infant suffers hyperbilirubinemia because a medical condition was not timely diagnosed and treated, it can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Hyperbilirubinemia can affect the social, academic and vocational upbringing of the infant. These often require services that amount to a significant expense over a child’s lifetime and are sought as damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.

Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases involving Group B streptococcus.  This is a bacterial infection that can cause significant injury and damage to a newborn.  There are occasions in which this infection should have diagnosed and treated earlier and harm to the newborn could have been prevented.  In those circumstances, there may be a child birth injury medical malpractice lawsuit.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) – Fact File

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a kind of bacterial infection found in pregnant woman’s rectum or vagina. The bacteria commonly occurs in the lower intestine or vagina of 15-40% of all healthy women.

Women who are tested positive for Group B streptococcus (GBS) are called colonized. During delivery, GBS can be passed to the newborn. In the United States, GBS affects 1 in every 2,000 newborns. However, it is not necessary for every baby born to a mother who is GBS positive to become ill.

While Group B streptococcus (GBS) is quite rare in pregnant women, it can have severe consequences. For this reason, physicians commonly test pregnant women for GBS as a routine part of the prenatal care.

Diagnosis of Group B streptococcus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine screening for vaginal strep B for every pregnant woman. The screening is commonly performed between the thirty-fifth and thirty-seventh week of pregnancy as this is the most significant time to see if the woman carries GBS at the time of delivery.

In order to perform the test, a swab of vagina and rectum is taken to the lab where it is analyzed for GBS presence. Results are normally handed over in 1-2 days.

Positive results of Group B streptococcus

Anyone who tests positive for Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a carrier. It is not necessary for a child to become ill if the mother carries GBS. According to estimates, one of every 100-200 babies will develop symptoms of GBS disease if all their mothers carry GBS. Some symptoms, however, do indicate that you run a greater risk of passing GBS to your baby.

These include:

• Rupture of membrane or labor before 37 weeks
• Rupture of membrane 18  hours prior to delivery
• Fever during labor
• Urinary tract infection during pregnancy due to GBS
• Previous delivery wherein GBS was passed to baby

In any of these cases, your physician would prescribe antibiotics for prevention of passing GBS.

According to CDC estimates, if you carry Group B streptococcus (GBS), but are not at high risk of passing it on, then the chances of having GBS delivered to the baby are:

• 1 in 200 if antibiotics are not consumed
• 1 in 4,000 if antibiotics are consumed

It may affect a child socially, academically, and vocationally throughout childhood and even into adulthood.  The child may require physical therapy, medical procedures, and other services that can be a significant expense over the course of his or her lifetime.  These types of damage requests are included in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed for the condition.

Contact a Michigan Group B streptococcus Malpractice Lawyer

If an infant suffers injuries because a medical condition was not timely diagnosed and treated, it can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Birth injuries can affect the social, academic and vocational upbringing of the infant. These often require services that amount to a significant expense over a child’s lifetime and are sought as damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.

Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases involving hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy injuries.  This can be a very serious condition and can affect a child throughout his or her lifetime.  There are occasions in which this injury could have been prevented and this can give rise to a child birth injury medical malpractice lawsuit.

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a medical condition in which damage is caused to the brain due to lack of both oxygen and blood flow to the brain.

Causes and Consequences of Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)

This medical condition often arises during birth. There are many factors that account for HIE such as uterine rupture, cord around baby’s neck, knot in umbilical cord, breech birth or other difficulties in birth. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy can also be caused by stroke, hanging, drowning or any other activity that impedes the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. The irreversible damage can occur due to this condition within minutes.

The damage may also occur in utero. There are instances when the exact cause of HIE in newborns is not determined. Damage caused to the infants can range from very mild to severe. In order to determine the location and severity of the injury, various measures such as EEG, MRI and CAT scans are run.

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy can also be caused due to cerebral palsy, dysphagia, mental retardation, cortical vision impairment, hearing impairment, temperature instability, microcephaly, seizures and chronic lung disease. Any child diagnosed with HIE has a bleak chance to live with full abilities. At the same time, every child found with the disabilities is unique in strengths and needs.

Treatment for Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Patients

There is no treatment for HIE. Various therapies aid in oral muscle development, muscle tone and control, and vision. Traditional therapies are also performed. These include:

• Physical therapy, used for gross motor control
• Occupational therapy, used for small muscle control
• Speech and language therapy

Oral stimulation is another form of therapy that is performed by the SLT or the OT, depending on their qualifications.

There are some alternative therapies that are also used. However, the benefits of these therapies are still not proven. A very limited research exists on the internet or elsewhere about Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. As this condition is an underlying cause for so many other disabilities, it makes it quite difficult to determine the exact cause, and consequently the specialist who would treat the patient best. This makes it difficult for parents to properly address all the needs of their suffering infant.

Contact a Michigan Birth Injury Malpractice Lawyer

If an infant suffers hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy  because a medical condition was not timely diagnosed and treated, it can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy  is a serious medical condition that can affect the social, academic and vocational pursuits of your infant. The treatment of this type of brain injury can result in significant expense over the period of a lifetime. Such type of damage requests are included in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed for the case of anoxic brain injury.

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.

Our Michigan birth injury lawyers handle cases in which a baby suffered injuries due to hyrdrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a medical condition whose primary characteristic is the excessive accumulation of fluid in brain. It comes from the Greek words ‘hydro’ meaning water and ‘cephalus’ meaning head. The water is cerebrospinal fluid, a fluid that surrounds the spinal cord and brain. Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) causes an abnormal widening of spaces inside the brain called ventricles. This widening of the ventricles puts harmful pressure on the brain tissues.

Signs and Symptoms of Hydrocephalus

The symptoms of hydrocephalus vary with disease progression, age and human differences in tolerance to this condition. For instance, a baby’s ability to tolerate the pressure on the brain differs from that of an adult. The skull of an infant can manage to expand and bear the CSF buildup.

In infants, the most common signs of this condition include:

• Unusually large size of head
• Rapid increase in circumference of head
• Vomiting
• Irritability
• Sleepiness
• Seizures
• Downward deviation of eyes

Treatment of Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is most commonly treated by inserting a shunt system. The shunt system diverts the CSF flow from the brain to another part of the body where it is absorbed as normal circulatory process. The system consists of a shunt, catheter and valve. One end of the catheter is placed inside the brain within a ventricle, and the other end is usually placed in the abdominal cavity. It may also be placed in another part of the body such as heart chamber or areas surrounding the lungs.

Contact a Michigan Hydrocephalus Malpractice Lawyer

A newborn who has hydrocephalus that is not timely treated and diagnosed by a hospital or physician can suffer permanent and irreversible injuries.  In such circumstances, the failure to properly treat the newborn can give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Hydrocephalus can affect the social, academic and vocational upbringing of the infant. These often require services that amount to a significant expense over a child’s lifetime and are sought as damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

It is essential to contact our office as soon as possible so that we can obtain your child’s complete medical chart to determine whether there was negligence involved in the treatment.  There are strict time delays for filing medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan so it is essential to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to see if your child has valid case.