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The process of healing birth trauma depends on the type and severity of the birth injury that was suffered. In some cases, healing birth trauma is difficult, if not impossible. In other cases, healing birth trauma is just a matter of giving the injury time to heal itself. Healing birth trauma can involve allowing the healing process to take its course while carefully monitoring the newborn for any signs of complication, or it may be a much more extensive process that requires years of rehabilitation.
Healing birth trauma is usually a natural process in cases of minor injury during labor or delivery. Caput succedaneum is bruising or swelling of a newborn’s scalp. This birth injury is often the result of a traumatic forceps delivery. Healing birth trauma of this nature generally occurs without medical intervention after a few days. Observation is all that is usually necessary in healing birth trauma of this nature.
Healing birth trauma involving cephalohematoma depends on the extent of the bleeding that occurred underneath a newborn’s cranial bones. If the bleeding was relatively minor, healing birth trauma requires observation and takes place naturally within a few weeks. If the cephalohematoma is more severe, transfusion, phototherapy and other techniques may be necessary in healing birth trauma.
Bruising and lacerations that occur as a result of difficult or unusually traumatic forceps and/or vacuum procedures usually take a few weeks to heal with little to no medical intervention. Subconjunctival hemorrhage is another example of healing birth trauma that is naturally carried out by the newborn’s body. Unfortunately, there are a number of more serious birth injuries that require much more extensive healing birth trauma efforts.
Facial paralysis, brachial plexus palsy, fractures, and cerebral palsy are more serious birth injuries that require a longer and more complex healing process. Healing birth trauma from these types of injuries depends on the exact nature and extent of the damage. Facial paralysis healing birth trauma efforts may require surgery if the damaged facial nerve(s) was torn in the birth process. Brachial plexus palsy can potentially heal with minimal medical intervention, but healing birth trauma of this nature may also require surgery.
Healing birth trauma that is caused by cerebral palsy may be a long and complex process. There is no cure for this condition and therefore healing birth trauma of this nature is not possible. There are treatment and management therapies that can help a person with this type of birth injury. Cerebral palsy is a chronic condition whereby brain damage prevents control of bodily movements. It can also involve a number of other physical and cognitive problems including mental impairments, sensory problems, paralysis, and other complications.
If your or a loved one has suffered a birth injury, you may suffer a number of damages including medical expenses, loss of income, and emotional suffering in the process of healing birth trauma. If this birth injury was caused by medical negligence, you have the legal right to seek compensation for your losses through a personal injury lawsuit.
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