Carrying a child for the nine long months and delivering safely is the hope and joy of every mother. However, safe delivery is not always the case. According to the National Library of Medicine, a minor mistake such as exerting a lot of pressure on the seventh cranial nerve might not cause facial palsy.

Sadly, some of these congenital disabilities are caused by doctors. The healthcare providers who are responsible for such mistakes may not have done it intentionally. However, caring for physically challenged children is a big hurdle, and thus financial aid is necessary. Parents expecting to receive their bundles of joy soon should be aware of these common types of birth injuries.

Facial paralysis

During delivery, the health provider might exert a lot of pressure on the infant’s face thus resulting in some damaged nerves. Such injuries are common to births where the doctor uses forceps or vacuum to pull the baby out. If your child us unable to close an eye or if there is no facial movement, then they could have facial palsy. Mild injuries clear within a few weeks while server injuries might cause total paralysis of the affected side of the face.

Fractures

The most common type of fracture is the clavicle fracture. An infant may get a clavicle fracture when the doctor uses a lot of force to pull him out while in the breech situation. Also, when the shoulder is pulled forcefully during a prolonged delivery, the infant may get a clavicle fracture. The good thing with such an injury is that it heals in ten days.

Brain injury

An unfortunate occurrence during delivery is oxygen deprivation, which causes lots of problems, one of them being a brain injury. Brain injuries are known to cause several medical disorders such as chronic seizers and cerebral palsy. Read more on preventing cerebral palsy. Oxygen deprivation may occur when the infant overstays in the birth canal or when the doctor does not look out for umbilical cord problems such as prolapsed cord immediately after birth. Mild oxygen deprivation is known to cause a host of other consequences such as long-term physical issues and intellectual disabilities.

Caput succedaneum

Caput succedaneum occurs as the infant makes its way down the birth canal. Most cases have been found to occur during delivery where vacuum was used. The injury is signaled by severe swelling of the soft tissues inside the baby’s scalp. Usually, the swelling lapses within a few days after injury.

Brachial palsy injuries

Brachial palsy injuries occur when the brachial plexus, which are the nerves responsible for moving the hands and arms, are injured. It may happen if the baby’s shoulders are stuck within the pelvic bone during birth. In case the physician pulls the infant incorrectly during delivery, it is possible for the brachial plexus to sustain injuries. Klumpke’s palsy and Erb’s palsy are the most common types of brachial palsy injuries.

Cephalohematoma

The injury is noticed several hours after birth and is marked by bleeding beneath the cranium. Use of tools to aid in delivery has been known to cause the damage. The bump is likely to disappear after a few months. However, it predisposes other risks such as anemia, jaundice, and hypotension.