Sometimes, complications may arise after a child is born. If an infant exhibits abnormal symptoms, it is very important that he or she be diagnosed to discover the cause. Complications may be the result of a birth injury or a birth defect. But in what ways do these two forms of complications differ?
Birth defects are typically the result of something that happened during the pregnancy and prior to the delivery. Sometimes a birth defect may be due to a hereditary condition. A birth defect could also be caused by something the mother did, such as consuming alcohol or taking certain drugs, while carrying the child. In the case of drugs, they may be illicit or even those prescribed by a doctor.
On the other hand, birth injuries occur when the mother is in labor or delivering the baby. Birth injuries could be caused by such things as a misuse of surgical equipment or a failure to properly respond if the newborn’s brain is not receiving enough oxygen.
A birth defect or birth injury can have a serious, lifelong impact on a child. If a doctor, or other medical professional is in some way responsible for causing or failing to prevent a birth injury or birth defect, then he or she could possibly be held liable.
If your child is suffering from complications that you suspect were due to negligence on behalf of a medical professional, an Arizona birth injury attorney may be able to help you get answers. The attorney could conduct an investigation in an effort to discover the cause of the complications. Based on the cause, you may have reason to file a medical malpractice suit.