Blog Post
What steps are undertaken to determine if a child's brain damage should have been preventable?
Posted by: Michael Becker
June 25, 2008
Topic: Birth Injuries
When a family comes to us asking questions whether their child's brain injury was avoidable and preventable, our first step in analysis is to determine what was the cause (pathogenesis) of the brain injury and when did the injury occur. We often begin an assessment of the case based on an analysis of the newborn medical records as well as any neuroradiology studies. Newborn clinical records may suggest the type of brain injury (asphyxia or trauma). The clinical condition of the newborn is of some assistance on timing of injury, as well. Analyzing the pattern of brain injury through ultrasound, CT, and MRI is also useful to determine not only the type of injury but also the timing of the injury.
Once the mechanism and the timing of the brain injury is reasonably determined, an analysis is then made as to whether or not there any warning signs or risk factors that should have altered the obstetrical management to have avoided the injury.
Sometimes the etiology as well as the timing of brain injury of an unborn child can never be reasonably ascertained. Furthermore, even when the mechanism and timing of injury is reasonably straightforward there may not have been any forewarnings that could have permitted timely rescue of the unborn baby or an alteration in obstetrical management.
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