Long Island, Manhattan Accident Attorney Blog

Things to Consider if your Child has Suffered Shoulder Dystocia

A parent’s biggest fear is discovering that their child has suffered a birth injury. Along with the financial stress that a birth injury can invoke on a parent, the emotional toll can be just as overwhelming.

Unfortunately, thousands of children suffer birth trauma annually in the U.S. You will be shocked to know that it is estimated that 6 to 8 birth injuries occur per 1,000 live births.

Are you aware that a common birth injury children suffer is shoulder dystocia? You may not be familiar with that term, but the March of Dimes has defined shoulder dystocia as an injury that “occurs when a baby’s head is delivered through the vagina, but the shoulders get stuck inside the mother’s body.”

There are several factors that can lead to shoulder dystocia, such as a larger than normal baby, a diabetic mother and medical malpractice, to name only a few.

There are many risks involved in this scenario that include nerve injuries in the baby’s shoulders, arms and hands. It can also lead to a broken arm or collarbone, as well as one of the most serious complications - oxygen deprivation.

What is even more alarming is the fact that many of these cases are a result of medical negligence.

If you or someone you know has a child that has suffered from shoulder dystocia and you believe that medical malpractice may have been involved, you should contact a New York birth injury attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at (800) 734-9445.