Birth Injury | Seattle Personal Injury & Accident Blog

The Long-Term Effects of Oxygen Deprivation at Birth

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on September 16, 2019

While science has made great developments toward understanding how to diagnose and treat neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), experts have been largely unclear about precisely what occurs in the brain to cause these conditions.

But recently, new studies are providing a promising glimpse into how certain circumstances at birth may contribute to the likelihood of a child developing ADHD or ASD later in life. Read the rest »

Are C-Sections Always the Answer, or Can They Be Dangerous?

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on January 21, 2019

Everyone is searching for ways to become more efficient, even doctors. But this isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes, it can even be medical malpractice.

Many expectant parents are encouraged to schedule an elective cesarean section rather than allow nature to take its course. The Lancet, a medical journal, reported that while only 12% of births in 2000 were C-section, in 2015 that number had increased to 21%. The release of this information warranted a comment from the World Health Organization, saying rates in excess of 15% were excessive. Read the rest »

Can a Birthing Position Cause Injury to a Baby?

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on October 12, 2018

Giving birth is no easy feat. It’s supposed to be natural, but with our medical advancements and hospital technology, we’ve come a long way from women doing what Mother Nature intended. Mostly, that is a fact that should be celebrated. Complications that might have been deadly in the past can now be caught early and handled with relative ease, saving both mother and baby. At the same time, advancement can sometimes complicate the things that should be simple and straightforward, like a woman’s natural physical response to labor. Read the rest »

Different Ages, Different Signs of Cerebral Palsy to Look For

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on June 26, 2017

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading motor disability in children. It’s not a single disorder, but a group of disorders that affect a person’s balance, posture, and mobility. Most cases involve spastic CP, which affects a child’s limbs and may cause movements to be stiff and awkward.

There are many causes of cerebral palsy, but the most common is that the brain was damaged either before or during birth. In rarer cases, brain damage occurs after 28 days of birth. Read the rest »

For Parents-To-Be, There Are No Dumb Questions You Can Ask Your Doctor

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on February 8, 2017

Parents-to-be should never be afraid to ask their doctor questions during pregnancy. And in some cases, a few questions could even prevent major injuries to both mother and child.

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The Most Common Delivery Room Mistakes and Resulting Injuries

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on November 29, 2016

Having a baby is one of the most exciting times of any parent’s life, and it all starts in the delivery room. Most of the time, everything goes as it should with happy outcomes all around. But sometimes, accidents happen and in the worst of cases, tragedy results. Those accidents sometimes occur due to error on the part of the doctors or nurses in the delivery room, and in most cases, it’s the infant that sustains injuries because of them. Below are some of the most common delivery room mistakes, and the possible injuries that can occur from them.

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The Difference Between Anoxia and Hypoxia in Child Brain Injuries

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on September 13, 2016

There are a wide variety of injuries that can occur at birth. One of the most dangerous and deadly forms of birth injury in the Seattle area is brain damage. While some children suffer brain damage in utero, which can be detected by an OBGYN in advance of birth, many instances of brain damage occur due to an issue that arises during the delivery process. Brain damage has the ability to cause immediate death, shorten the lifespan of the child, or disable the child. You may have heard the medical terms “anoxia” and “hypoxia” thrown around by doctors. What do these words mean, what symptoms are associated with them, and how are they different? Read the rest »