A healthy birth marks a new chapter filled with hope, but sometimes, unexpected birth injuries change that story. Erb’s Palsy, one of the most common nerve injuries during delivery, affects a newborn’s ability to move their arm or shoulder. This condition results from excessive pulling or improper use of delivery tools during birth.
Parents face confusion, heartache, and urgent decisions when doctors fail to prevent birth injuries that proper care may have avoided. Each moment after birth matters; early detection and the appropriate medical support improve outcomes, but justice also plays a role. Many families feel lost until they discover the power of legal help for birth injury claims.
In this article, we shed light on Erb’s Palsy and other serious birth injuries that demand attention, quick action, and in some cases, accountability.
Erb’s Palsy: A Birth Injury That Affects Nerves and Movement
Erb’s Palsy occurs when the brachial plexus, the network of nerves near the neck, suffers damage during childbirth. Doctors see this injury when the baby’s shoulder sticks behind the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery, a complication known as shoulder dystocia.
If the medical team pulls on the baby’s head with force or uses tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors incorrectly, the nerves stretch or tear. This injury weakens or paralyzes the arm and shoulder on the affected side.
Newborns with Erb’s Palsy show limited arm movement, weak muscle tone, and poor reflexes in the arm. Some recover with physical therapy, while others need surgery. Permanent disability becomes a risk when medical professionals delay diagnosis or fail to act fast.
Other Serious Birth Injuries You Should Know About
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy results from damage to the baby’s growing brain before, during, or shortly after birth. This condition affects muscle control, balance, and posture. Oxygen deprivation, head trauma during delivery, and untreated maternal infections cause this injury.
Children with cerebral palsy may find it difficult to walk, speak, or control movement. Early intervention helps improve life quality, but prevention starts with proper care during pregnancy and delivery.
Skull Fractures
Some deliveries involve force that fractures a baby’s skull. Improper tool use or delayed C-section decisions increase the risk. Newborns may show swelling, bruising, or bleeding in or around the brain. These birth injuries sometimes heal without surgery, but some lead to developmental issues or neurological damage.
Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy happens when a baby’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood. Common causes include prolonged labor, a ruptured uterus, or a tangled umbilical cord. Signs, including poor breathing, limp muscles, seizures, and feeding difficulties, appear soon after birth. HIE often leads to long-term conditions like epilepsy or cerebral Palsy if not treated in time.
Fractured Collarbone (Clavicle)
Newborns face clavicle fractures when delivery involves pressure on the shoulder. These birth injuries may result from breech positions or a large baby size. Babies show pain during movement or swelling near the collarbone. Most recover well, but the break signals that excessive force likely occurred during delivery.
Facial Nerve Injury
When pressure affects the baby’s face during delivery, facial nerves suffer. Doctors observe these birth injuries when misusing forceps. Newborns show a drooping mouth or closed eye on one side of the face. Though some recover fully, others experience permanent muscle weakness.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Although rare, spinal cord injuries during birth cause serious, life-long consequences. Forceful pulling or bending of the baby’s neck during delivery usually leads to this trauma. Babies may lose movement below the injury point or show breathing difficulties. These birth injuries demand urgent attention to reduce further damage.
Birth should begin with safety, not suffering. Erb’s Palsy and other birth injuries are not always, but are usually, the result of preventable medical mistakes.
This article was written for WHN by Pamela Paige, a committed writer and precise editor with a strong focus on legal and healthcare subjects. She believes in the power of words to educate, inspire, and make a lasting impact. Her mission is to simplify complex legal and medical topics into clear, reader-friendly content that informs and empowers the general public. When she’s not writing, she enjoys diving into fiction, staying current with marketing trends, and exploring personal growth through self-help literature.
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