Kernicterus - Birth Injury Lawyers
Birth Injury Attorney Serving Dallas and North Texas
In most cases, birth injuries and problems with newborns can be dealt with while the parents are still in the hospital. And, most of the time, everything turns out fine. For example, nearly 60% of newborns will have jaundice, causing their skin and the whites of their eyes to look yellow or orange.
Jaundice can develop when red blood cells break down and bilirubin, a brownish yellow chemical is left. Usually the liver removes the leftover bilirubin in the body, but some newborns’ livers are not fully developed enough to efficiently get rid of this toxin.
In rare cases, this can cause a condition known as kernicterus.
What is Kernicterus?
When severe jaundice goes untreated for too long, kernicterus can develop. Kernicterus is a rare but serious condition caused by the buildup of bilirubin in the bloodstream. It can spread into the brain and lead to permanent brain damage or other long-term problems, including:
- Trouble moving
- Hearing loss or deafness
- Learning disabilities
- Problems moving the eyes, especially looking up
Signs or Symptoms of Kernicterus
Common symptoms of kernicterus include:
- Jaundiced skin
- Hard to wake up or will not sleep at all
- Will not breastfeed or suck from a bottle
- Consistently fussy
- Has jaundice in the first 24 hours after birth
- Has bruises or bleeding on the head from a difficult birth
- Is more than two weeks early
- Has an abnormally high-pitched cry
- Has poor muscle tone
- Does not have at least four wet or dirty diapers in 24 hours
- Has a fever with any of the above symptoms
Kernicterus and Medical Malpractice
Kernicterus may be the result of negligence on the part of the healthcare professionals present during your child’s birth. If you believe this is the cause of your child’s kernicterus, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim.
The experienced Dallas birth injury attorneys at Polewski & Associates have handled numerous kernicterus cases, and our lawyers understand the complex medical issues involved in these claims. Our birth injury lawyers will aggressively pursue compensation for your child’s birth injury.
Please contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation. Polewski & Associates serves clients in Dallas and throughout North Texas.
