Each person may have a different reaction to certain migraine triggers , leading them to seek relief. There are many common factors that could lead to severe migraines. Many people turn to Topamax, a popular prescription drug, because of its effectiveness in fighting off the worst of migraine symptoms. Pregnant women, however, may need to seek an alternative means to fight the pain. Topamax has been shown to cause birth injuries like cleft lip and cleft palate in new born babies when taken during pregnancy.
What Causes Migraines?
There is a wide spectrum of migraines causes. Irregular eating patterns, skipping out on meals, eating too many sweets or starchy foods, caffeine in excess, and other dietary factors could lead to these debilitating headaches. Sleeping patterns also play a role in the onset of migraines. Too much or too little sleep could lead to migraines, as well as other varying sleep disturbances. Extreme emotional highs and lows are also dangerous. Excitement, anxiety, fear, anger, and stress all could lead to problems. Food additives and alcohol, such as wine, liquor, and beer could affect the body adversely leading to potential migraine threats.
Strong environmental changes or issues may also be detrimental to people’s health. Sudden weather changes, bright or glaring lights, loud and obnoxious noises, and strong smells could aggravate the human body, inducing a headache. Finally, changes in hormones are a final cause of migraines. Oral contraceptives, estrogen replacements, and menstruation could have adverse affects on the body leading to migraine pain. Although many of these causes will lead to migraines, it is important for women to find a safe medication for relief. Topamax may lead to cleft lip in babies when taken during pregnancy; therefore, women should be extremely cautious when finding a suitable drug.
Birth Injuries Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If your child was born with a birth defect, such as cleft lip or cleft palate, it is likely that you will have some questions regarding your use of Topamax during pregnancy. Please contact the Mininno Law Office with any questions or for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Those who suffer from migraines understand exactly how debilitating they can be. Headaches can be extremely draining, especially when people are constantly awaiting their arrival. It is not uncommon for people to constantly think about when the next migraine will strike and how it will hinder their lifestyle. It is also extremely inconvenient to be forced to change plans at a moments notice . Therefore, it may be in the best interest of those who suffer from migraines to lay out certain contingency plans. 
Cleft lips and palates have the potential to harmfully affect the ability of children to hear. A tympanostomy tube is usually inserted into a young child’s eardrum in order to aerate the middle ear. This tube often allows for children to have improved hearing and provides other significant benefits. Babies who suffer from cleft palate may have a number of speech problems. Some speech problems develop directly as a result of anatomical differences due to the birth defect. An example of an anatomical difference that could cause trouble is velopharyngeal inadequacy, which is the inability of the soft palate to shut the opening from the throat to the nasal cavity. Velopharyngeal inadequacy makes it difficult for children to make many speech sounds as the soft palate is integral to this function. These types of errors are somewhat common and can be corrected after palate repair.
The birth of a child is one of the most exciting and proud moments of a mother’s life. Birth defects, such as cleft lip or cleft palate, should not spoil the moment, as these issues can be easily corrected with surgery. It is completely normal for mothers with babies born with a cleft lip to experience concerns and feelings of denial, guilt, anger, and depression. 
After the excruciating pain that accompanies a migraines, victims wish to get back to their normal daily activities. Migraine symptoms, however, are not that understanding. The symptoms following a migraine headache can last a full twenty four hours after the migraine has subsided. A mild form of the headache can linger on for this time period, making it difficult to function. Many people also deal with extreme fatigue. 
Pregnant women should be cautious about the use of Topamax during pregnancy even though the drug has a strong success rate in treating migraines. The harsh symptoms of migraines can last for extended periods of time and women should understand the potential effects. Headaches bring with them throbbing pain which makes it extremely difficult to function never mind complete regular daily activities. Nausea and vomiting are also common experiences of people during a migraine and can make for extreme discomfort and additional pain. Finally, strong sensitivity to sounds and light generally accompany migraine headaches which makes it very difficult to move. Many people choose to remain in dark and quiet rooms during these extreme headaches in an effort to reduce the persistence of discomfort. Over ninety percent of patients experiencing migraines reported functional impairment. This statistic shows that when a migraine strikes, it may be very difficult to carry on with activities normally. Although migraines can be agonizing and traumatic, women should carefully choose medication during pregnancy to avoid potential dangers, such as cleft lip, to their baby.
Migraines can be detrimental to many people, especially when they strike suddenly. A recent study on headaches had staggering results; more than half of the people surveyed reported that their functionality was cut in half with regards to school and work productivity. Topamax is a popular and effective drug in treating migraines, but it should not be taken by women during pregnancy. Symptoms leading up to a migraine may last up to ten hours. Sudden mood changes may be a sign that a migraine is on the horizon and medication, such as Topamax, may be necessary. Repeated yawning and tiredness are more signals of a future migraine. When on your feet, a lack of balance, stability, and unsteadiness are likely to occur. Finally, an unexpected craving for sweets may seem natural, but also may foreshadow a migraine to come. The exact cause of migraines is not known, but once warning signs begin to arise, it is important that people are prepared. Topamax is a leading medication used to treat migraines, but this may not be the optimal choice for expectant mothers.
In order to treat cleft lip, surgery is always necessary. There are many factors as to when a surgery should take place. The doctor will likely consider the child’s health and the cleft lip itself when creating a timetable to engage in surgery. Most doctors have the common belief that a cleft lip should be repaired by the time the baby reaches three to six months of age. The severity of the defect as well as the baby’s health can account for having the surgery earlier or later.
According to Francis Dorrity, the Ordonez’s attorney, Emily was admitted to the Bayonne Medical Center at 1:30 am on August 15, 2005 with the beginning pains of labor. All tests showed a healthy baby. But at 9:32am, the machine monitoring the baby’s heart rate showed a rapid drop from 140 beats per minute to a dangerous 60 beats per minute. 
Cleft lip occurs when the developing tissue of the nose and upper jaw does not fuse normally resulting in a split in the lip. Cleft lip is treatable and generally does not cause health problems although in some more severe cases, children have difficulty feeding. The defect usually occurs on only one side of the upper lip, and very rarely in the lower lip. Cleft lip is visible at birth and beyond the noticeable physical appearance, there are usually no other symptoms.