How Can Birth Trauma Affect a Child’s Development?

Birth trauma can impact many aspects of normal child development. It can cause delays in reaching developmental milestones like crawling, walking, or talking. It can also affect a child’s ability to learn and to keep up with their peers. When a baby is injured during birth, their ability to communicate and function can be damaged for the rest of their lives. 

Getting your child early diagnosis and treatment will give them the best shot at reaching their full potential. These are some of the developmental milestones treatments can help your child with during the first year alone:

• Rolling over
• Playing peek-a-boo
• Saying their first words
• Learning to sit up
• Drinking from a sippy cup
• Learning to stand
• Learning to walk

Seeing your child reach any of these milestones can be one of life’s greatest joys. Your baby saying “mama” or “dada” for the first time or smiling back at you is something parents expect to experience. However, for parents of babies who have sustained brain trauma, these simple pleasures may be anything but simple. 

3 Conditions That Can Be Caused By Birth Trauma

The following conditions have been linked to developmental delays. If your child has been injured as a result of birth trauma, your pediatrician and other specialists will create an intervention plan that is tailored to their needs.  

Cerebral Palsy

 Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term that is used to describe a group of conditions that can affect infants who sustained brain damage during birth. These conditions can vary widely depending on the type of CP and the extent of the injury. Some of the areas where your child’s development may be affected by CP include:

• Brain development
• Posture
• Balance
• Muscle control
• Muscle coordination
• Muscle tone

A variety of therapies are used to treat cerebral palsy. These include physical and occupational therapy. Some children will also be treated with medications. There are also cases in which the child will benefit from surgery. 

Neonatal Asphyxia

When a newborn is deprived of oxygen around the time of delivery, it is known as neonatal asphyxia. This condition is also sometimes called perinatal asphyxia. This is an incredibly dangerous type of birth injury. It can cause brain damage that can lead to epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE).

Babies who are asphyxiated during birth may have a weak cry, weak breathing, and weak muscle tone. They may also have a low heart rate, and their skin may turn a bluish color. Another symptom is higher acid levels in the newborn’s blood. 

Newborns who have suffered from neonatal asphyxia will receive breathing support in more mild cases. More serious cases may require that the infant be placed on a ventilator. Infants who have developed HIE may respond to therapeutic hypothermia. 

Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Many new parents are surprised by the first few diaper changes because the diaper will be filled with a dark, odorless substance called meconium. Sometimes when a baby experiences trauma, they can pass meconium into the amniotic fluid. Meconium aspiration syndrome happens when this fluid is then inhaled. Your newborn may have inhaled meconium if they show any of these signs:

• Grunting when they breathe
• Labored breathing
• Breathing too fast
• Bluish skin tone
• Yellowed fingernails and skin

Babies who have aspirated meconium may be treated with antibiotics and oxygen therapy. In more serious cases, your baby may be temporarily placed on a ventilator. 

Every child is unique, and how your child responds to treatments and therapies will depend on a number of factors. With the right treatment, many children with birth injuries can still go on to live long, happy lives.