Newest research may detect birth injuries sooner

When Maryland parents are expecting a baby, there is much to prepare. As the time to deliver a baby gets closer, parents may have good reason to feel nervous. Birth injuries can affect a child for the entirety of his or her life, and parents can only hope all goes well. Sometimes, birth injuries are not able to be detected right away, but new research may have discovered a way to detect some injuries just hours after birth.

Some birth injuries like cerebral palsy and epilepsy can be caused by oxygen deprivation when a baby is born. Sometimes, this oxygen deprivation can be caused by a mistake or carelessness on the part of a medical professional. A child that suffers from these conditions may need special treatment and attention and may struggle to reach milestones as he or she grows. These conditions are not always obvious, and it may take weeks or months for symptoms to present themselves. This can leave parents of an oxygen-deprived infant worrying and wondering if legal action should be taken against a medical professional that made a mistake during delivery.

New research is making headlines internationally. It seems that a blood test in the hours following birth may be able to reveal certain gene sequences that can indicate if an oxygen-deprived child will have to contend with any of these frightening conditions that result from birth injury. The sooner an infant can be diagnosed, the sooner parents and doctors can begin to help an infant receive the special care he or she needs to thrive.

The test is still in the research stages, but researchers remain hopeful that the blood test will be widely available in the near future. In the meantime, parents can take action to assist and protect an infant that suffered a birth injury because of medical mistakes. Maryland parents considering legal action against a medical professional may want to contact an attorney to assist with the process. An attorney can use the latest data to prove that birth injuries are the fault of the delivery team. A lawyer can also help a client aim for a verdict that may include monetary compensation that can be used to help an injured child get all the help he or she needs to learn and grow under the special circumstances.