Was Your Infant’s Stroke Caused By Medical Malpractice?

 Posted on July 30, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

 Strokes are a biological event most often associated with older individuals who struggle with conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. When the brain seizes to receive proper blood flow, a stroke can occur. Though less common, children can also suffer from strokes. Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are seen in cases with infant children, most often occurring during or shortly after labor. While it is often difficult to identify a fetal stroke’s cause, there may be signs that indicate that the stroke was preventable. It is possible that your infant’s stroke may have been prevented had you and your child received better medical care. 

Causes, Types, and Symptoms of Fetal Strokes

Fetal strokes occur when the infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen. Oxygen deprivation occurs due to clots reducing the flow of oxygenated blood or a hemorrhage disrupting normal blood circulation. Infant strokes tend to occur between the 28th week of pregnancy and one month after the child’s birth. Due to a lack of air in the birth canal, the strokes most often occur during or immediately after the delivery process. 

The most common type of stroke seen among infants is an ischemic stroke. Along with lacking oxygen at birth, other possible causes of an ischemic stroke include a heart defect present at birth, blood disorders, injured arteries, and dehydration. Though it is less common, newborns may also suffer a hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes are often linked to damaged blood vessels due to head injuries, aneurysms, and blood clotting diseases.

Fetal strokes can cause significant brain damage that can potentially result in cerebral palsy, vision deficits, or paralysis. Signs that your child may have suffered a stroke include seizures, eating difficulties, problems breathing, and developmental delays. 

Medical Malpractice Causing Infant Strokes

It is possible that unavoidable circumstances caused your infant’s stroke. It is also possible that the child’s stroke could have been prevented had a medical professional taken the right steps. Negligent behavior and substandard care can, unfortunately, increase the risk of strokes and brain damage in newborns. 

Your child may have suffered a stroke due to a doctor’s, nurse’s, or other medical professional’s malpractice. This type of birth injury can occur due to misuse of tools used during labor such as forceps. Additionally, the medical professional may have failed to respond to high-risk pregnancy conditions. For example, if the mother suffers from a maternal infection but the doctor fails to diagnose and treat this infection, the mother may be able to collect compensation if the infection caused or contributed to their child’s stroke. Furthermore, if a fetal stroke results from a medical professional’s failure to proceed with an emergency C-section after recognizing signs of fetal distress, the parents may be able to sue for medical malpractice. 

Contact a Rockford Personal Injury Attorney Today

Bringing a child into the world is often a joyful experience. While the event may also be stressful, few parents consider the possibility of their infant experiencing a stroke during or after birth. Infant strokes can have long-lasting effects and it is important to consider your options if you believe the stroke was preventable had you and your child received higher quality care. With guidance from our Winnebago County fetal stroke attorneys, it is possible to hold the negligent medical professionals liable and collect damages for your child’s stroke and its after-effects. Contact Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law to schedule your complimentary consultation by calling 815-215-7561. 

Sources:

https://cookchildrens.org/neonatology/specialty-programs/Pages/newborn-stroke.aspx

https://hiehelpcenter.org/medical/associated-conditions/fetal-stroke/