H.I.E. lawyer looks for signs of medical malpractice or negligence to determine whether you have a case. Here are some things to consider when determining if you have a case:

• Injuries suffered by a baby can take place before, during, or after birth.
• Birth injuries happen during difficult deliveries, emergency c-sections or other out of the ordinary events, such as placental abruption.
• Consequently, oxygen to the infant’s brain may be restricted, ultimately causing the injury.
• If there were medical errors, your family may be able to recover compensation for damages. This includes past and current medical expenses, in addition to any future care required.

H.I.E. impacts 2-3 out of every 1,000 births in Pennsylvania, according to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania. Your case could help bring awareness to medical negligence, helping prevent others near you from suffering the same birth injuries.

Signs of H.I.E.

There are many signs to look for in an infant with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy:

• Tense and react more to stimulation than most newborns
• Floppy and hardly react to stimulation
• Visually inactive (no eye contact)
• Move abnormally or even have seizures
• Having problems feeding because their suck is too weak and the muscles in their mouth and throat are not working properly
• Display a very weak cry
• Meconium-stained amniotic fluid
• Low heart rate
• Poor muscle tone
• Weak breathing or no breathing at all
• Bluish or pale skin color
• Excessive acid in the blood

H.I.E. Brain Damage Symptoms

Symptoms can appear mild, such as dizziness and lack of concentration, although long-term symptoms can include more serious complications like damage to the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and occipital lobe. This can cause issues with brain development, including learning reading and linguistic skills, as well as other learning disabilities.

Mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

• Muscle tone may be slightly increased and deep tendon reflexes may be brisk during the first few days
• Transient behavioral abnormalities, such as poor feeding, irritability, or excessive crying or sleepiness (typically in an alternating pattern)
• Typically resolves in 24 hours

Moderately severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

• The infant is lethargic, with significant hypotonia and diminished deep tendon reflexes
• The grasping, Moro, and sucking reflexes may be sluggish or absent
• The infant may experience occasional periods of apnea
• Seizures typically occur early within the first 24 hours after birth
• Full recovery within 1-2 weeks is possible and is associated with a better long-term outcome

Severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

• Seizures can be delayed and severe and may be initially resistant to conventional treatments
• The seizures are usually generalized, and their frequency may increase during the 24-48 hours after onset, correlating with the phase of reperfusion injury
• As the injury progresses, seizures subside and the electroencephalogram becomes isoelectric or shows a burst suppression pattern. At that time, wakefulness may deteriorate further, and the fontanelle may bulge, suggesting increasing cerebral edema.
• Stupor or coma is typical; the infant may not respond to any physical stimulus except the most noxious
• Breathing may be irregular, and the infant often requires ventilator support
• Generalized hypotonia and depressed deep tendon reflexes are common
• Neonatal reflexes (sucking, swallowing, grasping, Moro) are absent
• Disturbances of ocular motion, such as a skewed deviation of the eyes, nystagmus, bobbing, and loss of “doll’s eye” (ie, conjugate) movements may be revealed by cranial nerve examination
• Pupils may be dilated, fixed, or poorly reactive to light
• Irregularities of heart rate and blood pressure are common during the period of reperfusion injury, as is death from cardiorespiratory failure
• An initial period of well-being or mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy may be followed by sudden deterioration, suggesting ongoing brain cell dysfunction, injury, and death; during this period, seizure intensity may increase