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Recent Blog Posts
Your OBGYN Ordered Unneeded Procedures: What Should You Do?
If you follow local news, you may know that a suburban Chicago physician recently pled guilty to federal fraud charges. Among other actions, the doctor requested insurance payments for medically unnecessary procedures, performing some of them without the patient’s informed consent.
Unneeded procedures may cause temporary or permanent maternal injuries; some also endanger pregnancies. If you believe you or your baby suffered harm from unnecessary procedures, you may be eligible to seek compensation with the help of an experienced, compassionate attorney from Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd..
Are Unnecessary Procedures Medical Malpractice?
In this context, an unnecessary treatment is one that does not benefit the patient or is not in the patient’s best interests. To qualify as medical malpractice, a healthcare provider must act negligently, and that negligence must directly cause harm or injury.
What Are Vacuum Extraction Birth Injuries?
Across the United States, vacuum extraction accounts for about 2.5 percent of all vaginal births, although the rates of vacuum extraction and forceps delivery have been falling as cesarean rates continue to climb. Birth injuries occur in about seven out of every 1,000 live births. Both forceps and vacuum extraction work in the same way by guiding the baby out of the birth canal during delivery.
The vacuum looks and acts like a suction cup placed on the baby’s skull. The suction guides the baby’s head as the mother pushes. Vacuum extraction is used once the cervix is completely dilated and the mother has been pushing—the second stage of labor. Under certain circumstances, vacuum extraction may be used during a breech delivery or a C-section.
Vacuum extraction is most often used when the baby’s head is not moving down the birth canal, the position of the head cannot be accurately determined, or the baby has a bleeding disorder or a condition that affects the strength of the bones. Vacuum extraction may also be used when the doctor is concerned that the baby is too large to fit through the mother’s pelvis.
Speech Therapy for Communication Skills for Children with CP
Difficulty forming words and speaking clearly, along with other speech and language disorders, are present in more than three-quarters of those with cerebral palsy. A lack of control of the throat, mouth, and tongue muscles can cause both children and adults with CP to experience excessive drooling. Receptive language involves what a child hears and how they understand what they hear. Expressive language is what a child says and how well they communicate with others.
Early communication interventions can significantly decrease the challenges associated with delays in speech and language. When a child cannot make themselves understood by others, it creates frustration and anger. The inability to communicate can cause self-isolation, temper tantrums, and other behavioral issues among younger children with cerebral palsy.
How to Prove Forceps Led to an Injury During Birth
Forceps are medical instruments used to assist in the delivery of a baby during childbirth. While they can be helpful in certain situations, improper use of forceps can lead to serious injuries to both the mother and the baby. If you suspect that forceps caused an injury during your child’s birth, it is important to understand how to prove this and seek appropriate legal action. An Illinois lawyer can help you get through this difficult case.
Common Injuries Caused By Forceps
Forceps can cause a range of injuries when used improperly during delivery. It is important to be aware of the different types of injuries in case your child has more than one that you did not realize was connected.
Facial Nerve Damage
Forceps can put pressure on the baby’s facial nerves, leading to paralysis or weakness in the face. This type of injury may be apparent immediately after birth, with the baby showing signs of facial drooping or asymmetry. In some cases, the damage may be temporary, but in others, it can be permanent.
Possible Legal Actions for Delayed C-Section and Fetal Distress
Fetal distress and delayed cesarean sections (C-sections) are serious issues that can lead to devastating consequences for both the baby and the mother. When medical professionals fail to recognize signs of fetal distress or do not perform a timely C-section, it may be considered medical malpractice. If you or your child have suffered harm due to a delayed C-section, an Illinois lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options.
Recognizing Fetal Distress and the Importance of Timely C-Sections
Fetal distress occurs when a baby experiences oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) during labor or delivery. Various factors, including umbilical cord compression, placental abruption, or prolonged labor, can cause this. Medical professionals should closely monitor the baby’s heart rate and other vital signs to detect distress.
If fetal distress is identified, an emergency C-section may be necessary to prevent brain damage, cerebral palsy, or even stillbirth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends performing a C-section within 30 minutes of deciding to operate in cases of fetal distress.
What to Do if You Experience Uterine Rupture from Negligence
A uterine rupture is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that can occur during pregnancy or childbirth. If you have experienced this traumatic event because of medical negligence, you should take immediate action to protect your health and legal rights. An Illinois lawyer can help you understand this maternal injury so you know your rights to address the issue.
Always Seek Medical Attention First
Your health and well-being should always be the top priority. If you suspect that you have suffered a uterine rupture, seek emergency medical care right away. Symptoms may include severe abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, rapid heartbeat, and signs of shock. Prompt treatment can significantly affect your recovery and prevent further complications.
Tips as You Manage Your Evidence
Having proof is vital for the most ideal outcome for your case. Some tips for effective documentation include the following:
Meconium Aspiration and Your Legal Options in Illinois
The birth of a child is typically a joyous occasion for parents. However, complications during delivery, like meconium aspiration, can turn into a distressing experience. If your newborn has suffered from meconium aspiration due to medical negligence, an Illinois lawyer can help you understand your legal options.
What is Meconium Aspiration?
Meconium is a newborn’s first bowel movement, typically passed after birth. In some cases, the baby may pass meconium while still in the womb, leading to a condition known as meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). When a baby inhales meconium-stained amniotic fluid, it can cause severe respiratory distress and lead to long-term complications.
Meconium aspiration can occur due to various factors. Some include prolonged labor, fetal distress, post-term pregnancy, and maternal health issues. Medical professionals are trained to promptly identify and manage meconium aspiration to minimize the risk of harm to the newborn.
3 Ways Speech Therapy Can Help a Child with Cerebral Palsy
When a child has cerebral palsy, their coordination and movement do not develop typically. It can make it seem very hard to grow up in an environment that has been built for people who do not have CP. Many aspects of the disorder can prove challenging for a growing and developing child, but fortunately, advances in medicine have managed to find ways to significantly improve quality of life. This article will discuss one specific method for helping kids with CP navigate the world - speech therapy - and the ways it can help the child. Like all therapies, CP can be quite costly. If you are considering speech therapy for your child, speak with an experienced Illinois birth injury attorney to understand what financial assistance might be available to you.
Improved Communication
There are many techniques employed during speech therapy that can help children with CP improve their communication skills. There are exercises aimed at building the muscles in the mouth and throat that are used when speaking. Others focus on practicing manipulating parts of the mouth - including the tongue, lips, and jaw - to move in a way that helps produce clearer sounds. For particularly challenging cases, a speech therapist might recommend the use of a communication device until speech is easier accomplished.
Cerebral Palsy and the Potential Benefits of Occupational Therapy
While the exact cause of cerebral palsy is often unknown, the neurodevelopmental disorder is commonly a result of brain damage that happens before or during birth. There is no cure for it, but there are various therapies and interventions that have been successful in helping improve the child’s quality of life.
One of these therapies is occupational therapy, which focuses on developing skills necessary for the performance of daily activities. Children who can be guided to conquer these skills gain more independence. While it can be costly, families of children with cerebral palsy often find that occupational therapy is worth every penny. This article will discuss various ways occupational therapy can benefit a child with cerebral palsy. If this interests you, speak with a skilled Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to see what options you have for covering the related costs of occupational therapy.
Do Black Women Have a Higher Risk of Maternal Death?
Sometimes, living in the United States can feel like a cause for celebration. We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, the land of opportunity and the American dream. Unfortunately, it is still a country in the real world, and reality is way less rosy. For example, while we enjoy generally good health care in this country, the system itself has some cultural issues. Statistics have been coming out showing that Black women have a higher risk of maternal death than others. These maternal mortality details can be explained by a variety of factors. If you have a loved one who died in childbirth, contact a Chicago, IL maternal death lawyer to discuss more.
Why Should Black Mothers Have a Higher Risk?
- Lack of medical professionals: There is a shortage of OBGYNs throughout the United States, leaving the medical community unable to meet the population’s demand. This issue is unfortunately even more severe in areas that are heavily populated by minority groups, where there is less access to quality hospitals, birthing centers, and especially post-partum maternal care professionals, which can be critical in the period following birth to limit maternal death.
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