Empowering families and helping them to understand not only their baby’s HIE injury, but legal solutions that may be available is something that I want to cover in more detail. The companion video which supports this post was deliberately created as a longer video so many of these issues would be in one place for viewers.
The motivation for this post came from a minority family. A sad reality is that some minority families can feel overwhelmed and forgotten in this process. Add to this, there is now documented evidence as to how medicine views some medical issues when it comes to Black patients. For example, Black women die at a higher rate than white women while giving birth. There is also documented research on how white doctors view pain for minority patients.
At the conclusion of this post, you should have a better understanding of not only HIE, but what legal options might be available for you and your family.
Empowering Families: Understanding Your Baby’s HIE Brain Injury And Legal Solutions…
Let us start at the start of this talk with what is HIE. HIE, or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a medical condition which occurs when there is a cut-off or reduction in blood and oxygen which can lead to a brain injury. During pregnancy and labor and delivery, there can be many things which can cause reductions or a cut-off of blood and oxygen.
In our practice, one of the main ways the above occurs is because of umbilical cord compression. The issue with umbilical cord compression is that the cord is viewed as the baby’s lifeline. When labor and delivery is happening doctors and nurses can use the electronic fetal heart monitor to see in real time the baby’s well-being.
Signs And Symptoms Of HIE And Treatment
If a baby has suffered a traumatic brain injury like HIE, there may be certain signs. At birth the baby may be discolored and have little to no oxygen output. There might be a faint cry or no cry. The NICU team might be already present in the delivery room.
Doctors might have to give the baby oxygen and other types of workups. The baby might suffer seizures immediately after birth or days later. When it comes to whether a brain injury has happened, the doctors will be able to confirm.
On the treatment front, hypothermia cooling is now the gold standard. Parents must understand that cooling is not a cure for the brain injury, but it can look to slow down the spread of the injury. There is a specific protocol for the use of cooling.
What Legal Options Might Be Available?
If medical malpractice is what has caused your baby’s HIE brain injury, you may be able to use the court system to hold those responsible for causing the injury. Here at Boston Law Group, LLC we work up a birth injury investigation to see if medical malpractice is the cause. Based on our investigation, if we conclude that the hospital and the doctors and nurses are at fault, we will tell you and move accordingly. Please watch the video that is attached to this blog post for a complete breakdown of the legal options that are available.
Contact me at my info below if you have questions understanding your baby’s HIE brain injury and the legal solutions that might be available to you. Remember there is no money cost to talk with us initially about your baby’s injury. This is what we do.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
9701 Apollo Dr. Suite 100
Largo, Maryland 20774
301-850-4832
1-833-4 BABY HELP
