What Causes Seizures in Babies | Honolulu, HI

What Causes Seizures in Babies?

Reliable Birth Injury Attorney in Honolulu, Hawaii

A birth should be a magical moment for the mother. There are little joys more precious than finally getting to hold your baby in your arms. However, certain events during childbirth can injure the baby, turning a joyous occasion into a moment of dread. Such incidents can lead to neurological disorders and seizures for your young child.

Newborn seizures are pretty uncommon. However, preterm infants have a higher risk of developing them. Most neonatal seizures happen within the infant’s first week of life.

Seizures are not neurological disorders themselves. Seizure activity is usually a symptom triggered by sudden, abnormal electrical discharge. Birth injuries make up a vast majority of neonatal seizures.

A birth injury is one that happens during childbirth. Medical practitioner should do their best to prevent such injuries. While mistakes are not uncommon, there are times when medical professionals fail to practice due diligence. In these cases, they may be liable for the suffering you and your child have endured. Call our Hawaii birth injury lawyer at SRB Law to discuss your potential birth injury case and medical malpractice lawsuit.

What are the Common Causes of Neonatal Epileptic Seizures?

Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

HIE is the most common cause of neonatal seizures. It is frequently caused by decreased flow of oxygenated blood to the baby’s brain. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy can cause permanent brain damage, along with conditions like learning disabilities or cerebral palsy.

Ischemic Stroke

This is the second most frequent reason for a neonatal seizure. A clot in the blood vessel is what causes an ischemic stroke. When a stroke happens near the time of birth, it is often related to birth injuries, not the least of which is HIE.

Intracranial Hemorrhages

Brain bleeds are the third most common cause of neonatal seizures. Bleeding in the brain exerts pressure on the cells, which may damage the brain of the baby.

Infections

Infections like sepsis and meningitis can also bring on Neonatally induced seizures. Doctors must take every precaution to treat maternal illnesses and reduce the risk of transmission because they can be passed from the mother to the infant during birth. A newborn with suspected seizures needs to be examined right away for infection.

Hypoglycemia

Neonatal seizures can also be caused by low blood sugar. Babies born to diabetic moms, those with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and those who were small for gestational age frequently have this problem (among other risk factors). Hypoglycemia in newborns is simple to identify and cure, but persistent or undetected hypoglycemia can harm the brain permanently. Infants who appear to be having seizures should have their glucose levels checked by a doctor.

What if a medical practitioner caused the infant seizures?

If a doctor’s error was from their failure to perform their duty, that medical negligence might have given rise to your child’s seizure activity. Medical practitioners must perform regular tests to keep track of the baby’s health and prepare if they have a high-risk birth.

Not all medical mistakes can be counted as negligence. If you want to win your medical malpractice claim, you usually have to prove the following:

  • Duty: You must demonstrate that the doctor owed you a legal duty of care.
  • Breach: You need to prove that the doctor did not act in a way that another reasonably competent medical professional would when given the same situation.
  • Causation: You also have to show that the doctor’s breach caused the injury of your young child.
  • Damages: You have to show that you suffered damages so that you can be compensated for those.

There is a deadline for filing your medical malpractice claim. The statute of limitations outlines how long you have to file the case. Please note that it takes significant time for even the best attorneys to investigate your case thoroughly. If you suspect your child suffered seizures from a medical practitioner’s negligence, take your child to get medical attention. There are epilepsy center specialists who may be able to help your child. Afterward, it’s best to consult an attorney immediately. Call SRB Law today to discuss your case!

Call our Honolulu Birth Injury Law Firm Now!

Birth injury is a complex and sensitive field. Children are precious, and it can be emotionally and physically draining to deal with the consequences of infant seizures. You and your child deserve justice for the suffering you’ve endured. Our seasoned Hawaii birth injury lawyer from SRB Hawaii Law can help you recover compensation for the damages you’ve incurred. Contact us today to discuss your case!

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