How a Birth Injury can Affect a Family

Birth injuries can cause serious permanent damages for a child, and their family. Unlike birth defects, most birth injuries are preventable, and consequences that come with birth injuries are grave. A parent will need to take a substantial amount of time off from work to care for the injured. This many times leads to an end in their career, and oftentimes siblings may need to sacrifice their lives as well to help pay for expenses and care for the injured. A birth injury among a child will cause tension with the parents, siblings, and others who may be involved.

What Are Birth Injuries?

A birth injury is a physical injury that is done to a newly born baby, through the process of being born. Most birth injuries result from the babies’ size or the position that the baby was delivered in. Some major birth injuries that are the most seen are: ● Premature birthsrn● Abnormal birthing positionrn● Dystociarn● Cephalopelvic disproportionrn● Prolonged laborrn● Paralysisrn● Bone fracturesrn● Maternal obesity Babies being too large and too heavy, weighing more than 8 pounds and 13 ounces, is a common issue that may lead to injuries. Babies that are born prematurely are at a high risk as their organs have not fully developed, and they need extensive 24/7 care to develop their organs when they are outside of the womb. Additionally, babies are ideally supposed to be delivered head first. When they come out a different way, especially feet first, this can cause physical harm to the baby’s body. The mother’s health when pregnant is especially important, an unhealthy diet or lifestyle can be very unhealthy for the child. Other factors that can cause physical defects are the mother’s womb shape and size, troubled delivery, as well as prolonged pregnancy. All of these issues can result in serious birth injuries.

How will a birth injury affect a family?

The first issue that will be presented is communicating with the disabled child. The first issue is dealing with the cause of the injury. Many parents will feel guilty of themselves and have trouble seeing or speaking to the child because of this. This will also potentially lead to the mother developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This PTSD will develop from the regret and anxiety of how the baby was injured. In some cases, the communication with the baby can become difficult because of rejection from the family. Many families unfortunately will reject the baby because of the lack of perfection, which could also lead to adoption. The last aspect of communication that can be affected after a childbirth injury is the tensions within the family. Caring for a child with a birth injury is exhausting and will take time and money from every family member. This will lead to exhaustion and conflict among the family unit. Another issue caused from a birth injury is the strain on the family relationships. Caring for an injured baby takes a toll on all family members daily social lives. The time and money that needs to be dedicated from all family members can be overwhelming. Taking care of an injured baby can lead to a lack of communication among the family and may even cause a divorce. Caring for a child with a birth disability will result in the family placing many of their friends, hobbies, and social lives on hold, which may result in a feeling of loneliness and depression. When parents have a child with a birth injury, this will make parents' dedication to other children more difficult. This lack of time with their children, especially the older sibling, will cause a feeling of abandonment and loneliness, leading to future family separation and a loss of connection. When a family is experienced with a new member, it can be an exciting time. However, when the newly born undergoes medical malpractice resulting in a birth injury, it can be detrimental to the family and everyone involved. If your family has recently been affected by a birth injury among a newly born family member it is important to prepare for these results.