Despite many advancements in the healthcare industry, medical negligence is nothing new. Unfortunately, almost six in every 1000 babies in the U.S become a victim of birth injury incidents every year.
Among many different birth injury types, Erb’s palsy is the most common and occurs during delivery. The condition involves damage to the nerves, muscles, or tissues in the hands and arms. As a result, the child may have complete paralysis, weakness, mobility issues, or loss of sensations in the upper arm. And while some babies might recover fully on their own. In other cases, they need treatment.
What To Do If Your Child Has Erb’s Palsy?
Finding out that your child is sick and needs treatment can take an emotional toll, but you need to start strong and act smart for your baby’s well-being. Treatment options for Erb’s Palsy significantly rely on the baby’s conditions and symptoms.
Although you might be researching available treatment options for your child’s well-being, it is relevant to note that whether your infant suffers from minor or severe injury – Erb’s palsy is an avoidable birth injury. It usually occurs because the medical team fails to diagnose early symptoms.
If you and your child have been a victim of medical malpractice for Erb’s Palsy, you will experience financial and emotional stress. So before looking for different treatment options for your child, don’t forget to get in contact with legal representation to get the rightful compensation and justice. Seeking help from a lawyer can help you win a medical malpractice lawsuit and receive compensation for medical expenses.
Once you have legal help by your side, you can start looking into potential treatments for your baby. Here are some of the options you have:
Physical therapy
The most common treatment option that professional therapists prescribe is physical therapy. Physical therapy is for both – mild and severe damage.
It involves gentle stretching, massage, range-of-motion exercises, and developmental activities. Such activities and exercises primarily focus on improving and healing muscle strength. Moreover, there is a high possibility that the therapist may recommend using specialized equipment such as braces, splints, or tapes to facilitate healing and promote joint alignment.
Usually, after some time, physiotherapists show parents how to perform these exercises at home too.
Hydrotherapy
If your child has more severely injured nerves and other physical injuries, experts may suggest another type of therapy – hydrotherapy.
Water acts as a natural soothing element and relieves pain in the baby. Hydrotherapy allows the baby to build and strengthen their muscles in the water and use the affected area of their body without suffering from much pain.
Medical professionals may recommend combining this therapy with other treatments to improve motor skills in the child.
Occupational therapy
Does your child have sustained long-term damage? In that case, your therapist will suggest your child undergo occupational therapy.
This type of therapy enhances the fine motor skills of the affected area. As a result, the therapy can help your child learn essential everyday tasks such as eating, drinking, eating, drawing, walking, playing, etc. The main objective of occupational therapy is to make your child as independent as possible.
For better results, the therapist may start with physical and occupational therapy, so your baby can naturally regain the use of their affected arms and fingers.
Botox
Botox injection can also come in handy when combined with exercises and stretches for a child with Erb’s palsy. Botulinum toxins (BTX-A) is a medication made from highly toxic substances to strengthen a baby’s weakened muscles.
The use of botox injections can help improve muscle balance around the shoulders and elbow joints. Therefore, doctors recommend this treatment when a child suffers from joint tightness. However, since this injection is highly toxic, there is a slight chance of spreading toxins to other body parts. Fortunately, this treatment option is not painful and may offer ease to your child from pain and discomfort.
Surgery
In extreme cases, unfortunately, the child needs to undergo surgery. Initially, healthcare professionals will recommend physical and occupational therapy and other easy treatments. But if there isn’t any improvement even after three to six months, opting for surgery might be the only option.
Most common surgeries recommended include nerve graft and nerve decompression. In a nerve graft procedure, the surgeon removes a distant nerve from one part of the body and inserts it to repair nerve ruptures. However, the latter surgical procedure is minimally invasive, in which the surgeon makes an incision to decompress the compressed nerves.
Final thoughts
Let’s face it: there is nothing more hurtful for a parent than to see their child suffer from pain. But unfortunately, medical malpractice is not uncommon in today’s age. While it is no secret that the news of sustaining a birth injury is devastating for every parent. However, don’t just sit back and grieve. Instead, take charge of your child’s health and well-being. Consult healthcare specialists and find the right treatment plan for your child’s condition.
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