Coping When Your Child Has a Birth Injury

Adjusting to life can be difficult for parents whose children suffer from the effects of birth injuries. Along with the challenges of caring for a child with special needs, there is the loss of the future they planned. In cases where a child will never be able to care for him or herself, the pressure on parents can be severe and unrelenting.

According to an article in Big Easy Magazine, the National Institutes of Health states that about 6 in every 1,000 people born in America have serious birth injuries. One of the most difficult parts of receiving news of a traumatic birth is to understand what steps parents can take to help ensure the newborn has the “best, most independent life possible.”

Developing a grief treatment and therapy plan

One study published in the Disability and Rehabilitation journal disclosed that some parents who learn of their children’s birth injury suffer intense grief, even years after learning of the diagnosis. Parents with intense grief may benefit from “cognitive behavioral therapy which can help the parent find proactive, positive ways to deal with moments of sorrow.” Speaking with a psychologist or other mental health professional can be beneficial for couples who are struggling and feel unable to communicate with one another about those struggles.

The grief treatment plan should complement your child’s medical care. Possible therapies include:

• Occupational therapy. Helping your child become independent in their daily routines
• Recreational therapy. For example, horseback riding
• Physical therapy. Such as coordination, flexibility, and strength exercise
• Stem cell therapy. This new therapy may have some advantages – though there may be some risks.

Understanding what your legal rights are

Many birth injuries, such as developmental and neurological disorders, require a lifetime of medical care which can cost a fortune. Your child may lose cognitive, physical, and emotional functions. They may suffer constant pain.

Experienced birth injury lawyers work aggressively to determine how the hospital, birth physicians, and other health providers committed medical malpractice. In addition, we work with your doctors to fully understand the medical needs your child will have, and all the ways his/her life is changed due to medical error. In birth injury cases such as CP, there may be additional hidden expenses such as home care and assistive medical devices.

Getting support from professionals, networks, forums, and groups – in-person and online

The parents of birth injury victims can benefit from developing relationships with other parents whose children have the same disorder. Knowing that you’re not alone and being able to discuss all the practical issues involved with raising a child with a birth injury, is healthy. Just by talking, you can often learn about the available resources and possible health treatments.

At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, our birth injury lawyers understand just how crushing the diagnosis of a birth injury can be. We counsel parents on the various Tennessee resources that are available to help them cope and adjust. If your child was harmed due to medical error, please call our experienced Memphis and Jackson birth injury lawyers at 901-475-7434 or use our contact form to schedule a consultation.