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No person would ever wish to experience the trauma of a newborn member of their family suffering a birth injury, particularly if it is an avoidable one. Although they are very rare, the conditions hyberbilirubinanaemia and Kernicterus do sometimes cause long term birth injury damage. In instances where they do, some families may decide to contact a personal injury solicitor in order to claim medical negligence compensation.
Hyberbilirubinanaemia
In cases where doctors have failed to sufficiently treat jaundice in a newborn, hyberbilirubinanaemia may develop as a complication.
If hyberbilirubinanaemia still goes untreated, it will then develop into an even more severe condition, known as Kernicterus.
Kernicterus
Kernicterus describes a kind of brain damage that is known to be a causal factor in the development of Athetoid Cerebral Palsy.
Kernicterus is also linked with hearing loss, blindness, dental problems as well as, in some rare cases, neurological damage.
Kernicterus develops when the liver of a newborn produces excessive amounts of bilrubin. The resultant build-up of bilrubin then causes jaundice, which, if not treated, will then go on to cause Kernicterus.
What is the risk of Kernicterus birth injury?
With attentive and responsive neonatal care, kernicterus birth injury should be completely avoidable.
If a child is exhibiting signs of jaundice, doctors have a duty to carefully monitor the health of that child and to respond to any warning signs.
While the majority of newborns will have sufficient inbuilt response to fight off the jaundice themselves, in cases where they don't, the use of phototherapy should be effective in reducing levels of bilrubin. Phototherapy is a relatively benign treatment that causes minimal or no discomfort to the baby. It is simply the use of a blue light which breaks down bilrubin levels in the body.
In extreme cases, where phototherapy is not getting satisfying results, a blood transfusion should be effective in securing the newborn's good health.
Symptoms of Kernicterus
Exhibition of any of the following symptoms should be thoroughly investigated:
Who is at risk?
Any of the following would indicate that the baby is at a higher than average statistical risk of developing Kernicterus birth injury.
Personal injury solicitors
If you or your child have suffered birth injury as a result of negligent or substandard medical care, then you may be entitled to claim compensation.
YouClaim's personal injury solicitors are regarded as being among the very best birth injury litigation representatives in the UK.
Maintaining the very highest standards of ethics and thoroughness, we guarantee to never charge you a single penny in legal costs or fees.
In addition, we protect you from all costs incurred by the opposing legal side and promise to never take a cut of your compensation.
To make a birth injury claim with YouClaim's personal injury solicitors today, simply call 0800 10 757 95.
If you do not have the time to talk right now, you can click to request a call back.
Alternatively, you may wish to fill out an online claim form so that we can make a preliminary assessment of your birth injury claim.
