A diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE, can leave parents overwhelmed and searching for answers. If your baby has been diagnosed with HIE after a traumatic birth, it is natural to want to understand what happened and what your next steps should be. What to do after your baby is diagnosed with HIE starts with a simple truth: you do not need to hire a lawyer right away to begin gathering information. There are things you can do on your own, right now, that will help you understand your baby’s condition and protect important details for later.
Talk Openly With Your Baby’s Medical Team
One of the most important early steps is having honest conversations with the doctors and nurses caring for your baby. Ask about the MRI results and what they show. Ask about any cranial ultrasounds, whether your baby had seizures, and whether infection played a role. Most importantly, ask the medical team what they believe caused or contributed to your baby’s brain injury. These conversations will not give you every answer immediately, but they are a meaningful starting point for understanding your baby’s diagnosis.
Gather the Medical Records
Alongside those conversations, it is wise to begin collecting medical records for both mother and baby. This includes fetal monitoring strips, the operative report if a C section was performed, umbilical cord blood gas results, lab work, medication records, NICU documentation, and any EEG results. Together, these records help piece together the timeline of labor, delivery, and your baby’s first hours and days of life.
Why Early Action Matters
Medical records can be dense and difficult to interpret without guidance, but requesting them early is still valuable. Records can be lost, overwritten, or become harder to obtain the longer you wait. Gathering this information while it is fresh gives you and any professionals you later consult a clearer picture of what actually happened during your baby’s birth.
Every family’s situation is different, but the guidance in what to do after your baby is diagnosed with HIE applies broadly: ask questions, request records, and take your time understanding what occurred before deciding on next steps. Being informed early on puts you in a stronger position, whatever path you choose to take from here.
If you have more questions for me regarding your baby’s HIE brain injury at birth or a cerebral palsy diagnosis, reach out to me at my contact information below. It doesn’t cost you any money to speak with me initially about your baby’s story.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
9701 Apollo Dr. Suite 100
Largo, Maryland 20774
301-850-4832
1-833-4 BABY HELP
