When you give birth in a hospital, you expect the doctors and medical care team to keep you and your child safe. While this is the most common outcome, there are times when the medical care team ends up causing preventable harm to you or your baby. If your baby is injured, working with a Pennsylvania birth injury attorney could help you get the money you need to better care for your child and to compensate you for any current or future pain and suffering. But it’s important to note that many birth injuries can be treated so your child will live a comfortable and happy life.
Common Treatment Options for Birth Injuries in Pennsylvania
The exact type of treatment your child’s doctor or the hospital’s medical care team will recommend largely depends on the type of injury they’re suffering. However, seeking treatment quickly can often reduce the severity of their injuries. Here are some common treatments children with birth injuries may undergo.
Medication
Depending on the type of injury your child suffers, their pediatrician or specialist may prescribe different medications. This could include medication to help manage conditions like epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other conditions. Typically, medications won’t be prescribed until the child is older and is exhibiting symptoms of physical or behavioral disorders.
Physical Therapy
Some birth injuries may delay a child’s muscle development. Physical therapy can help your child overcome those developmental challenges. During physical therapy sessions, your child will perform exercises and movements designed to help them build their strength and make routine movements easier to perform. Often, physical therapy will feel like play for your child, making sessions fun and something to look forward to.
Occupational Therapy
If your child experiences any mental or physical developmental delays as a result of their birth injury, they may need to attend occupational therapy sessions. Sessions focus on building fine motor skills and improving your child’s ability to perform basic but essential tasks like the following:
- Brushing their teeth
- Bathing
- Getting dressed
- Using utensils
- And more
Occupational therapy can help your child build those physical skills over time. Often, they’ll need to attend sessions for years and may continue to go to occupational therapy throughout their youth.
Surgery or Adaptive Equipment
Depending on the severity of the birth injury, your child may struggle with mobility issues that physical therapy alone may not be able to fix or reduce. In those cases, surgery may be a good choice. Surgeons may be able to correct the condition or make it less restrictive. If your child does not qualify for surgery or the surgery doesn’t help, they may need adaptive equipment like braces, crutches, or wheelchairs.
Seeking Treatment Doesn’t Mean You Can’t File a Lawsuit
It’s important to seek treatment for your child as soon as you can. The sooner you’re able to get medical intervention, the more likely it is that the medical team will be able to help your child heal from the birth injury. In some cases, medical treatments may be able to correct the injury entirely.
Seeking treatment will not make you ineligible to file a lawsuit against the hospital and medical care providers who injured your child. And if your child has been injured during birth, it’s a great idea to consult with a Pennsylvania birth injury attorney.
Work With a Pennsylvania Birth Injury Attorney
At Latona Law, our team specializes in helping families impacted by birth injuries pursue the justice their children deserve. Our birth injury attorneys will review your case and help you decide if filing a lawsuit is in your best interest. If it is, they’ll represent you in court and help you hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Schedule a free consultation today.