Giving birth is usually a happy occurrence, but some children suffer birth injuries that could have possibly been avoided if hospital staff practiced better procedures.

Some children suffer from a condition known as brachial plexus palsy as a result of a preventable birth injury. One mother is attempting to raise awareness about her son’s brachial plexus palsy and other preventable birth injuries.

Ashley K., a mother of a son who suffered a birth injury to his shoulder and arm, is hoping to raise birth injury awareness by challenging people to a one-handed cartwheel.

Krise’s son had a “traumatic delivery” according to ABC27. Krise says, “He was stuck, his shoulder had rotated completely. He had no brain activity, and at that point, the doctor is doing everything he can to get the child out to save them.”

Four years later, Krise’s son does most things other boys his age do. He, however, suffers daily from injuries sustained because of his brachial plexus palsy.

According to Seattle Children’s Hospital, brachial plexus palsy is a condition that occurs when the nerves of the brachial plexus are damaged. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that move the muscles in the arm and shoulder.

If those nerves are damaged, the nerve signals cannot travel up and down the arm. This can result in partial or full paralysis of the arm.

Sometimes the nerves of the brachial plexus can be injured during the birth process. If a birth is particularly difficult, the infant’s shoulder can get stuck against the pelvis of the mother. This position can cause injury to the baby, possibly resulting in brachial plexus palsy.

Both occupational therapy and physical therapy can help combat the effects of serious birth injuries such as brachial plexus palsy, however, some children are never the same. Those never fully recover from the injuries they received at birth.

Ashley K. says her son’s arm that is affected by brachial plexus palsy is slower growing that his other arm and that it takes longer to heal from injuries than other parts of his body. She also says that his pain response in that arm is slower.

After birth, he was fitted with a special brace to stabilize his affected arm and he has had to undergo a series of surgeries. Ongoing therapy, the mother says, has returned some feeling to his arm but he still suffers the effects of brachial plexus palsy.

Once in awhile, birth injuries such as brachial plexus palsy are preventable and are a result of malpractice by hospital staff. If this is the case, families can seek legal restitution for their child’s birth injuries.

There are other birth injury conditions that are preventable and have often been caused by medical malpractice. Aside from brachial plexus palsy, these preventable conditions include cerebral palsy, oxygen deprivation, Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy.

Some birth injuries occur as a result of obstetrical forceps, vacuum extraction, or even cesarean section surgery.

Medical malpractice lawsuits for birth injuries can help recover costs of medical expenses, lost earning capacity, lifetime care, and pain and suffering.