Infant Brain Damage Symptoms

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Infant brain damage symptoms range from mild to severe and include signs of cerebral palsy, seizures, cognitive impairments, and developmental delays.[1] Sometimes, brain damage is mild and initially goes unnoticed. In other babies, brain damage is more severe and noticeable soon after birth.

What Are the Symptoms of Infant Brain Damage?

The symptoms of brain damage are varied and depend on individual factors, most importantly, the severity of the damage. A baby born with moderate or severe brain damage will show signs right away, including fussiness and crying, seizures, poor reflexes, and unusual movements. 

Many babies with brain damage have only a mild injury. The signs are much more difficult to notice. Parents and doctors may miss these signs. Later, that child might show symptoms of brain damage that include developmental delays, cognitive impairment, and motor disabilities.

What Causes Infant Brain Damage?

Infant brain damage can result from an acquired or traumatic brain injury.

• A traumatic brain injury occurs when some physical force from the outside strikes or puts pressure on the head. This may occur in an infant during childbirth because of birth injuries. For instance, the head may get stuck in the birth canal, or the doctor may use an instrument like forceps with too much force on the baby’s head.
• An acquired brain injury occurs internally, inside the skull or brain. During childbirth, nearly half of all brain damage is caused by asphyxiation, when the brain is deprived of oxygen. This can occur because of an illness in the mother, complications with the umbilical cord or placenta, or when the baby’s head becomes stuck in the birth canal.[2]

Another possible cause of infant brain damage is medical malpractice.

Medical mapractice is when a healthcare provider makes a preventable mistake or fails to provide adequate care, leading to harm. Parents can consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the negligent party.

For example, if a doctor fails to recognize complications or order a Cesarean section, a resulting birth injury could be considered medical malpractice.

Other possible medical malpractice scenarios include a doctor misusing forceps, failure to diagnose correctly, or failure to monitor for fetal or maternal stress.

What Are the Immediate Signs of Infant Brain Damage?

Infant brain damage caused by complications of childbirth is not always immediately or easily recognized. The symptoms could be mild or delayed.

In cases of severe brain damage, symptoms are more likely to be recognized right after birth:[3]

• Small head or skull
• Large forehead
• Malformed spine
• Stiffness in the neck
• Unusual or distorted facial features
• Abnormal eye movement
• Seizures
• Excessive crying
• Irritability or fussiness
• Difficulty sleeping or eating

What Are the Delayed Signs of Infant Brain Damage?

When brain damage is less severe or does not cause immediate physical and behavioral symptoms, parents may start to notice later signs that a child has suffered brain damage. As an infant with brain damage gets older, they may develop sleeping disorders or sensitivity to light.

The baby may exhibit tremors or muscle spasms or even develop paralysis in certain parts of the body. Extreme fatigue can also be a sign of brain damage.

As a baby grows, brain damage may cause delayed physical development. A baby may be slow to crawl, sit, stand, and walk. A child might struggle to feed without assistance.

As a child grows older, they may struggle to learn and perform physical tasks like getting dressed, tying their shoes, and using writing instruments. They may have trouble reaching other physical and motor milestones.

Developmental and Cognitive Symptoms of Brain Damage

Brain damage in an infant may also manifest as mental, behavioral, and emotional developmental issues or delays.[4]

A child may be spatially disoriented or have a higher pain sensitivity. The child may have difficulties concentrating and focusing, remembering things, or developing language and vocabulary.

Behavioral challenges may include impulse control or acting out. These can become more pronounced as a child goes to school and begins to interact with other children.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

A common condition resulting from brain damage during childbirth is cerebral palsy, which causes certain characteristic symptoms. Symptoms of cerebral palsy may indicate that a child has suffered brain damage during childbirth.

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of this condition and is characterized by:[5]

• Tight, stiff muscles
• Abnormal walking gait
• Tight joints that won’t open up all the way
• Weak or paralyzed muscles
• Muscle spasms or tremors

Other symptoms of cerebral palsy include:

• Delays in reaching motor milestones
• Difficulty with fine motor skills
• Poor coordination,
• Scissoring legs
• Abnormal limb movements
• Floppy muscles and joints
• Learning disabilities
• Trouble speaking
• Difficulty swallowing
• Slow and writhing movements
• Vision and hearing loss
• Seizures,
• Drooling
• Urinary and bowel incontinence
• Growth delays

Diagnosing Infant Brain Damage

Infant brain damage symptoms are varied and diverse. For some children, the signs may not even show up for months or years; if they do, they may not be obvious enough to lead to a diagnosis.

If symptoms develop soon after birth, a doctor can diagnose brain damage by using imaging scans like CT scans or MRIs. These can show if there is traumatic damage.[6]

If the damage is not clear, diagnosis is trickier. Monitoring for symptoms may be the only way to detect and diagnose brain damage.

Taking Legal Action for Infant Brain Damage

The outlook for infant brain damage ranges from good to poor, depending on the severity of the injury. Some babies develop lifelong disabilities.

If you see infant brain damage symptoms in your child after birth, you may want to determine if some type of medical malpractice caused them.

Negligence or medical malpractice, if proven, can lead to a settlement that may provide you and your child with compensation that will help pay for treatments, therapy, and rehabilitation.

If your child suffered brain damage during or shortly after childbirth, and you believe that medical malpractice played a role, you have the right to take legal action.

An experienced birth injury lawyer can help you show that the symptoms and complications of brain damage were caused by the actions (or inactions) of a medical caregiver. You could be eligible for compensation through a lawsuit or settlement.