With all the advancements in technology and progress that have been made regarding the delivery of babies, it can be a shock to some parents when they learn their child has suffered a birth injury. While some birth injuries can be purely an accident, there are many times where a birth injury like infant apraxia could have been prevented. If your child was injured during the birthing process, contact an experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney for infant apraxia.
At Bennett & Heyman, P.A., we understand how a serious birth injury could affect your family, and we are here for you. Our firm is here to help your family determine whether your medical practitioner acted negligently regarding the safety of your child so that you can pursue the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options, contact Bennett & Heyman, P.A. at (410) 429-7856, or contact us online.
Signs and Symptoms of Infant Apraxia
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), or infant apraxia, is motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for a child to learn how to speak properly. CAS is often the result of a brain disorder that affects the child and should not be confused with childhood dysarthria that is caused by weakened muscles in a child’s mouth.
There are various signs and symptoms that a parent can look for to determine whether their child is suffering from infant apraxia. For example, if a child says their first words significantly later in childhood than the average child or they do not attempt to say words at all, this can be an indication that the child has infant apraxia. Additionally, if a child has difficulty cooing or babbling or trouble with the ingestion of food, this could be a sign or symptom that could indicate a problem.
The signs and symptoms of CAS may become more pronounced when a child reaches toddler age. One issue to be aware of is your child having great difficulty imitating words that you say. Other signs of CAS that may affect toddlers include:
- Avoiding long words due to the ease of saying short words
- Consistent monotonous tone when speaking
- Reliance on grunting and pointing instead of using words
- Severe issues with pronunciation
- Choosing to use vowels over consonants
If your child exhibits any of these signs and symptoms, it may be wise to make an appointment to be seen by an experienced health professional.
To determine whether a child has CAS, there are several tests that can be performed. For example, an audiologist can help you determine whether CAS is the reason for a child suffering a loss of hearing. If hearing loss is not the issue, you should consider seeing a speech language pathologist (SLP) to help find the cause of the infant apraxia.
To learn more about infant apraxia and determining liability for this disorder, continue reading and speak with an experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney.
Determining Liability for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
One of the primary causes of childhood apraxia of speech is that an infant suffered a brain injury during birth. A brain injury can occur for several reasons during a delivery. However, it is the responsibility of a delivering physician to ensure the child, and the mother is not unnecessarily endangered during the birthing process.
One way that a baby could suffer a brain injury during birth is if the baby becomes stuck in the mother’s birth canal. When this happens, there may be an excessive amount of pressure that is applied to the child’s head that can cause a brain injury. If the delivering doctor could have prevented this from happening, they could be held liable for medical malpractice.
Another possibility is that the delivering doctor incorrectly used birth-assisting tools when trying to deliver the infant. For example, applying excessive pressure with forceps to a child’s head could cause a serious brain injury. Additionally, the use of vacuum extractors has also been linked to brain injuries.
Our firm is here to help you determine whether the actions of your delivering physician is the reason that your child must now live with infant apraxia. While this disorder can be alleviated over time, in some cases, the child may suffer from long-term issues.
Contact Our Experienced Baltimore Infant Apraxia Injury Lawyers Today
If your child was the victim of a birth injury due to the negligence of a medical practitioner, contact an experienced Baltimore infant apraxia injury lawyer. The birth injury lawyers at Bennett & Heyman, P.A. possess over 70 years of combined legal experience, and we are prepared to use this knowledge to pursue your medical malpractice claim. To schedule a free legal consultation, contact Bennett & Heyman, P.A. at (410) 429-7856.
