International Brachial Plexus Injury Awareness Week
This week marks “international brachial plexus injury awareness week,” a week dedicated to raising awareness about a condition that affects thousands of newborns each year.
Brachial plexus injuries -including Erb’s palsy - are characterized by a loss of movement or weakness of the arm caused by damage to the collection of nerves around the shoulder. In infants, a brachial plexus injury may occur as the result of a difficult delivery, such as a prolonged labor or when the health care professional delivering an infant exerts excessive force, stretching one side of the baby’s neck severely causing nerve damage. Erb’s palsy also results from “shoulder dystocia,” a condition where the infant’s shoulder gets stuck in the birth canal.
For children born with Erb’s Palsy, treatment and outcomes vary. In some cases therapy can help regain arm functionality, while in others permanent paralysis occurs. Although figures of how many infants are affected vary, estimates place the number at two to five infants out of every 1000.
For more information, or if a loved one suffered a birth injury or trauma, contact the attorneys at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for a free consultation.
