Childbirth brings a whirlwind of emotions to expectant families. There is overwhelming excitement and joy mixed with worry and concern. As a new parent, you want to be sure that everything is alright with your newborn baby. Unfortunately, some babies develop health complications, such as jaundice, after birth. While most babies recover fully on their own or with minimal intervention, some develop life-altering injuries due to untreated jaundice.
If you believe your newborn suffered adverse health consequences from untreated jaundice, reach out to a birth injury attorney at Berkowitz Hanna. An experienced Shelton infant jaundice malpractice lawyer can help you pursue justice for your child.
Jaundice is a relatively common condition in newborn babies and occurs when an infant has excessive levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is the substance the body produces when breaking down red blood cells. When a baby has elevated bilirubin levels in their bloodstream, that excess bilirubin usually starts in the liver and then spreads to the skin, eyes, and brain.
Some cases of jaundice are easy for doctors and caregivers to detect, such as when a baby has yellow skin, particularly on the palms of their hands or soles of their feet. However, doctors should not rely solely on the physical appearance of skin tone to diagnose jaundice, especially in babies with darker skin tones where the yellowing could be harder to spot.
Caregivers who are concerned that their baby has developed jaundice should also look for the following signs:
Many obstetricians routinely screen babies for jaundice before discharging them from the hospital, and many pediatricians follow up with tests, particularly in premature infants who have a harder time regulating bilirubin levels.
Failing to diagnose and treat jaundice in a timely manner can have devastating health effects. A skilled Shelton lawyer can review what the baby’s medical team did in the hours and days after the baby’s birth to see if they should have diagnosed the baby’s jaundice.
Most babies who develop newborn jaundice recover quickly in a few days once their bodies learn how to process waste properly. Some babies benefit from increased feedings or minor phototherapy. Other more serious cases require blood transfusions. However, the condition can become life-altering when a baby does not receive prompt treatment. When babies have bilirubin in their brains, they can develop a type of brain damage called kernicterus.
Kernicterus can result in many different types of brain injuries, including hearing loss, athetoid cerebral palsy, vision loss, teeth issues, and intellectual impairments. Sadly, there is no cure for kernicterus. Once a baby develops the condition, there is no medical treatment that can reverse its effects, which is why early diagnosis and swift treatment are critical. When a doctor’s failure to promptly treat and diagnose newborn jaundice leads to serious health effects, a Shelton attorney can help a family receive compensation for their baby’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, permanent impairments, and other losses.
If your baby’s doctors missed or delayed the diagnosis of jaundice and it resulted in a serious brain injury, you might be able to pursue a legal claim. If the baby’s care team failed to recognize the symptoms of jaundice, they might have acted below the standard of care expected of medical workers, which makes them legally and financially liable for the losses that result.
To learn more about your legal options, schedule a free consultation with a Shelton infant jaundice malpractice lawyer at Berkowitz Hanna. As one of the top three medical malpractice firms in the state, we have extensive experience handling cases like yours and will not rest until we make things right for your family. Call our office today to get started.
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