Day: October 14, 2025

Every parent wants their baby to be healthy and thriving. While most deliveries go smoothly, sometimes complications during labor or delivery can harm a newborn. When you know the warning signs of birth injuries, you can get your children the care they need quickly and determine whether preventable medical errors played a role.

What Signs Appear Right After Birth?

Some birth injury symptoms show up immediately in the delivery room or within the first few days of life. Medical staff typically check for these issues, but parents should also stay alert for concerning signs.

Physical signs you might notice include: 

• Swelling or bruising on your baby’s head, face, or shoulders
• Abnormal or tortured breathing
• Bluish or pale skin
• A weak cry
• Difficulty feeding
• Seizures in the first days of life
• Extremely floppy or extremely stiff and rigid muscles 

Which Problems Might Not Show Up Until Later?

Many birth injuries don’t become apparent until babies start missing developmental milestones. As your child grows, watch for signs that their development isn’t progressing as expected.

By three to four months, babies should make eye contact, smile at familiar faces, and turn their heads toward sounds. They should bring their hands to their mouths and begin reaching for objects. Discuss your concerns with their pediatrician if your baby isn’t meeting these early milestones.

Movement patterns can also reveal underlying problems:

• Favoring one side: A baby who only uses one arm or seems to keep one arm tucked against their body may have nerve damage affecting that limb.
• Unusual muscle tone: Some babies develop increased muscle stiffness over time, making their movements seem jerky or uncoordinated.
• Feeding difficulties: Trouble sucking, swallowing, or coordinating breathing while eating can indicate neurological problems that weren’t obvious at birth.
• Vision or hearing problems: Babies who don’t track objects with their eyes or respond to loud sounds may have sensory impairments related to birth complications.

What Causes These Warning Signs?

Understanding what causes birth injury symptoms helps parents recognize when medical errors might have contributed to their child’s condition. During labor and delivery, several factors can lead to infant injuries.

Oxygen deprivation is one of the most serious risks during birth. When the umbilical cord is compressed, the placenta separates too early, or labor goes on too long without proper monitoring, a baby’s brain can suffer permanent damage from lack of oxygen. Healthcare providers should monitor fetal heart rates closely and act quickly when signs of distress appear.

The use of delivery assistance tools requires skill and careful judgment. Forceps or vacuum extractors can help deliver a baby safely when used correctly, but improper use can cause skull fractures, bleeding in the brain, or facial nerve damage. Similarly, excessive pulling or twisting during delivery can stretch and damage the nerves controlling arm movement.

When Should You Seek Help?

Trust your instincts as a parent. If something seems wrong with your baby’s development or behavior, don’t wait to seek help. Early intervention often leads to better outcomes for children with birth injuries.

Contact your pediatrician immediately if your baby shows signs of distress, has seizures, or exhibits significant changes in behavior or feeding patterns. For less urgent concerns about developmental delays, document what you’re observing and bring these notes to your next appointment.

Getting proper medical care for your child comes first, but keeping detailed records also protects your family’s legal rights if medical negligence contributed to the injury.

Contact an Experienced Birth Injury Attorney

If your child shows signs of a birth injury that may have resulted from medical negligence, DeLuca, Weizenbaum, Barry & Revens, Ltd., can help your family seek answers and compensation. Our attorneys can work with medical professionals to investigate what happened during delivery and whether proper standards of care were followed. We’ll fight for the resources your child needs for treatment and support. Call our office or contact us online for a free consultation to discuss your child’s situation and learn about your legal options.