Maryland medical malpractice attorney Renee Boston talks about how a premature baby was born with breathing complications and no LS Ratio was ever performed. Mom voiced repeated concerns about the health and premature delivery of the baby but her doctor told her that the baby was in good health. Shortly after delivery, the child showed signs of breathing difficulties such as chest wall retractions, grunting, and nasal flaring.
An x-ray was taken and it showed a decreased lung volume and uniform infiltrate with a ground-glass appearance. The child was diagnosed with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome secondary to poor lung development as a result of prematurity.
But here is the thing. During the pregnancy no one ever performed a lecithin-to-sphingomyelin ratio (LS ratio). As a result of this, the child’s lungs never properly developed and the child now required continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and IV fluids.
More tests revealed inflammation and severe scarring of the child’s lungs. Months later, after follow up visits with a pediatrician, the child’s breathing was not improved and signs demonstrated that the child’s breathing function would never be fully restored.
So why am I sharing this important information with you today? Because you may be looking for answers after the premature birth of your child. Because your premature child may be having breathing problems and you are wondering if an LS Ratio was ordered. Here’s what you do. Pick up the phone and give me a call. I can be reached at 301-850-4832. Or if you prefer, you can send me an email to medicalinjury at bostonlawllc.com. (Remember to use the @ in place of the at in the email address. Due to internet spammers we separated the email address). We answers questions like yours all the time regarding Maryland medical malpractice law and we would be glad to hear your story.
