Shoulder dystocia is a complication that occurs during vaginal delivery. It happens when the baby’s head has been delivered, but the anterior shoulder is now stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. This makes it difficult for the baby to naturally proceed out of the birthing canal without some help from the obstetrician.
Approximately 20% of babies that have shoulder dystocia at birth will suffer some sort of birth injury. This birth injury can be either temporary or permanent. The most common birth injuries that occur are damage to the brachial plexus nerves, as well as injuries including breaks of clavicles, humerus bones, and other contusions and lacerations. Birth asphyxia is also a birth injury that can occur and can cause permanent neurological disabilities.
Can Shoulder Dystocia Be Avoided?
The best way to prevent these complications is to prevent shoulder dystocia from occurring. This is where the obstetrician comes into play. Although, this can’t always be prevented, a knowledgeable obstetrician may be able to determine, due to the baby’s size, position and other factors, that shoulder dystocia is a possibility. If so, other delivery options may need to be discussed. Being prepared in the case of shoulder dystocia is extremely important. If a baby is injured due to the negligence of the physician, then the physician should be held liable for any injuries that occur.
Birth Injury Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
As birth injury attorneys in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we will help families that have been affected by birth injuries. If your child was injured at birth, and you now have questions concerning your legal rights, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia for a free consultation.
Let the experienced medical malpractice and birth injury attorneys answer any questions you may have.
This trained professional is a source of assistance and alternatives to every day needs. For instance, if your child has a cleft lip he or she will likely have difficulty producing plosives, which include “p”, “b”, “k”, “g”, “t”, and “d”. These plosives are formed by the sealing of the lips and releasing of pressure. Without a full seal of the lips, these words will be problematic in every day speech. A speech language pathologist will work one on one with your child and your family to help develop a stronger labial seal and alternatives to producing these sounds, in order to help your child efficiently communicate. Speech therapy will help your child work on articulation inaccuracies, plosive sounds, and audible speech.
A newborn baby with a cleft lip will have trouble sealing the lips and nasal cavity, preventing efficient sucking. The orbicularis oris, the muscle of the lips, has been affected due to the cleft lip , which prevents the muscles from properly functioning to provide a strong labial seal. If the cleft lip is specific to one area of the lip (i.e. the right or left side) it may help to breastfeed your baby at an angle towards the side of the lip without the malformation. By repositioning yourself, you can help your baby create a stronger labial seal, allowing him or her to suck more efficiently.
Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder gets stuck behind a mother’s pubic bone. In order to avoid injury, certain changes must be made during delivery. Birth injuries arising from the improper delivery of a baby with shoulder dystocia can be permanent. In the case of the Virginia boy, it was shown that the nerve damage caused him permanent disablement of his right arm. He may need assistance for simple tasks for the rest of life, and may not be able to do many of the typical activities of childhood due to the birth injury he received.
Suckles is a part of the pediatric swallowing process. It is different from swallowing in that it occurs from 8 months of gestation up until 6 months after birth. Suckling also differs from sucking in the tongue and jaw movement. The jaw is stable and the tongue moves back and forth. This works in young babies because of the developmental stage of their laryngeal structures. With a cleft lip, your baby may have difficulty with tongue movement and minor problems with suckling. If suckling is a problem for your baby it is wise to develop a pattern of squeezing the bottle to help the baby adapt for a pattern of suckling. This pattern will help your baby adjust to the proper movements to help obtain the milk.
Young babies with a cleft lip are often able to receive nutrition through bottle feeding. It is important to keep an eye on your individual child’s particular eating capabilities. For instance, newborn babies with a cleft lip may need more time to eat because of sucking difficulty due to the lack of closure between the lips and nasal cavity. Babies also may need to be bottle fed rather than breastfed because of these closure issues. Liquids, like milk from a bottle, may leak through the nasal cavity. The specific method chosen for your baby depends on your own child’s cleft lip condition. It is important to contact your physician regarding precise techniques that are most beneficial to your baby.