Infant Brain Injury

Maryland, Virginia, & Washington, D.C.

Brain injuries are among the hardest injuries to diagnose. The symptoms of brain injuries are often not apparent for days and the symptoms of brain injuries resemble many other kinds of injuries. Even in adult patients brain injuries are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

Brain injuries in babies, however, are even harder to recognize. Unlike when older children suffer brain injury, infants cannot tell you what they are feeling or experiencing in terms of symptoms. There are even brain injuries in babies that can occur at birth. The many different brain injuries that some infants suffer from include:

• Anoxia brain injury. Anoxia brain injury occurs when there is no oxygen reaching the brain.
• Hypoxia brain injury. Hypoxia occurs when there is a decrease in the oxygen supply to the brain.
• Concussion
• Traumatic brain injury caused, by example, from dropping a baby or a fall.
  
• Brain stem injuries

One thing to watch out for, especially after your baby has been in an accident or hit their head is a bump. Don't panic if you do see a bump. Start by applying ice to the bump to see if the swelling goes down. If your baby does become unconscious seek medical attention immediately. This is a sign that the blood has seeped into the brain. Remember that if the baby cries that is a good thing because it is a sign that the injury is unlikely to be severe.

If your baby has hit its head or was in your car when you were in an accident, pay close attention to their behavior. Bear in mind that symptoms of head injuries may take days to appear, so keep an eye on them even days after the incident. Other symptoms to look out for include:

• Excessive vomiting. It is not uncommon for a young child to vomit after being involved in a trauma, but if your child vomits more three to four times a day, seek medical attention immediately.
• Loss of balance. This is especially hard to spot in an infant that has not begun to walk. Pay close attention to changes in sitting or crawling patterns, or if they can no longer hold their head up.
• Check your child's eyes. Are your child's eyes not focusing? Is one pupil larger than the other? Are their eyes crossing? These are all signs to look for in order to spot a brain injury.

When something happens to our children, it is very easy to panic. Try to remain calm and pay close attention to your baby in general. Always remember, when in doubt, seek medical attention.

If your child has suffered a brain injury, please contact the experienced brain injury attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, &  Siegel P.C. in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia today.

Print this page