A look at the potentially dangerous birth injury Erb's palsy

Erb's palsy is one type of shoulder dystocia injury and is a very common birth injury. Shoulder dystocia is when a baby's shoulder becomes stuck behind the pubic bone of the mother during delivery.

It is an extremely traumatic complication that can take place during the birthing process and any pull on the baby's head can cause serious nerve damage which then affects the neck and arm.

If a baby can move one arm but not the other, it may have Erb's palsy. Inability to move the arm is a sign of injury to the brachial plexus nerve network which moves the arm, hands and fingers and passes sensory messages to the brain. A tell-tale symptom is the arm hanging down by the side of the body.

Most children recover movement and sensation in the arm affected with Erb's palsy, especially if paralysis is temporary and nerves are not severed. Surgery is used rarely for very serious cases and is only considered when nerve systems do not return to normal after a few months.

One surgical procedure, called tendon transfer, involves separating the tendons (the connective tissues between muscle and bone) from the place they normally are and reattaching them somewhere else. This can improve shoulder and wrist motion, elbow position and hand grip.

Some children with brachial plexus injuries have weakness in the shoulder, arm or hand and find it difficult to raise their hand over their head. Keeping the arm mobile and fit is therefore essential if the arm is weak. Physical therapy and maintaining a daily routine of exercises keeps the area active and moving.

Making a birth injury claim for Erb's palsy
Making a personal injury compensation claim for medical negligence when your newborn child is still small is a traumatic process but YouClaim are experienced in birth injury cases and can help to take some of the stress out of the situation.

Medical mistakes do occur, but the effects of some of them are long-lasting. If your baby has been affected and has Erb's palsy as the result of a birth injury caused by medical negligence, you may be entitled to make an injury claim.

We are experts in birth injury medical negligence cases and have an excellent success rate. We work on a no win, no fee basis and won't charge you to make your claim. In addition, all compensation awarded will go directly to you.

Call us now on 0800 10 757 95 and we will talk you through the claims process and discuss the possibility of taking your claim further at no cost to you.