When a woman goes to the hospital to have a baby, she normally is not concerned that her doctor may inadvertently injure her newborn during the birthing process. However, many infants are victims of medical malpractice when they suffer peripheral nerve damage after childbirth.

Birth injuries can be unintended results of a traumatic birth or of medical malpractice, and many birth injuries could have been preventable.

A common type of birth injury falls underneath the umbrella of peripheral nerve damage. Some peripheral nerve damage after childbirth conditions include brachial plexus injuries, Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy.

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, brachial plexus injuries and peripheral nerve damage after childbirth are not common but can occur.

The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that runs from the spinal cord in the neck to the shoulder, arm and hand. These nerves help the arm and hand move and indicate sensation in the arm and hand as well.

If this nerve bunch is injured, there can be varying degrees of numbness, weakness or paralysis in the shoulder, arm or hand. Peripheral nerve damage after childbirth can occur if these nerves get pulled, pinched, stretched, compressed or torn during delivery.

Other peripheral nerve damage after childbirth can occur such as Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy. Both of these conditions are types of brachial plexus injuries affecting specific nerves in the brachial nerve network. Erb’s Palsy affects the movement and feeling of the shoulder and upper arm while Klumpke’s Palsy affects the movement and feeling of the forearm and hand.

Both of these conditions are types of nerve damage that may result after childbirth from a difficult delivery or medical malpractice.

Treatment for Nerve Damage After Childbirth

While many babies will heal from nerve damage after childbirth on their own, some require more serious and long-term treatments to repair the problems.

Treatment for babies with nerve damage after childbirth that do not heal on their own include occupational therapy and possible surgical intervention. Occupational therapy interventions include, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, splinting or joint compression, range of motion exercises, stretching and bilateral movement planning activities.

Surgical intervention might be required to repair nerves if they have been damaged beyond the help occupational therapy intervention.

How to Identify Nerve Damage After Childbirth

If you suspect your infant has suffered nerve damage after childbirth, you can look for the following signs and symptoms.

• Weakness in the arm
• Paralysis in the arm
• A turning in of the forearm and hand

Your child should be seen by a specialist for diagnosis and treatment if you suspect signs of nerve damage after childbirth.

If your child has suffered nerve damage after childbirth, you may be eligible to seek legal compensation to help offset the costs of medical bills and time taken off work for care and treatment of your child.