Birth Injury Symptoms

Fact Checked

Birth injuries in babies range from severe and immediately detectable to milder and more difficult to recognize or diagnose.[1] Some common birth injury symptoms include bruising, unusual eye movements, muscle weakness or paralysis, excessive fussiness, and seizures. Some signs of birth injuries might not be evident until the child is older.

General Signs of Birth Injuries

Birth injury symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of the injury. In many cases, a child’s injury is not immediately apparent. The child might show signs of an injury later.

Some of the general symptoms of a birth injury in a newborn or young baby include: 

• Arching back and crying
• Drooling excessively
• Difficulty suckling
• Crying excessively and with a high pitch
• Curled hands
• Stiff or loose muscles
• Seizures
• Light sensitivity
• Poor reflexes

Some general symptoms of birth injuries in a toddler or child include: 

• Speech delays
• Difficulty eating
• Muscle spasms
• Poor muscle control
• Poor coordination
• Poor response to sounds
• Delayed sitting, crawling, standing, or walking
• Poor vision
• Tremors
• Cognitive delays

Birth Injuries and Developmental Delays

Symptoms of birth injuries can be subtle. They may also not be obvious until a child starts to grow and develop. Delays or failure to meet standard milestones can be signs of a birth injury. Every child is different, but if your child seems to be slow to meet these milestones, contact your pediatrician:

• Lifting their head on their own
• Rolling over
• Crawling
• Sitting up
• Standing
• Talking
• Using their hands
• Walking

Nerve Injury Symptoms

One of the most common types of birth injury is damage to the brachial plexus nerves, which control the movement and sensation in the arms. These nerves can easily be damaged when a child emerges from the birth canal and the doctor or midwife pulls too hard. It is most common in babies with high birth weight or in the breech position.

The symptoms of a brachial plexus injury include any degree of paralysis in one arm. A baby not moving one arm as much as the other is usually a sign of Erb’s palsy or damaged brachial plexus nerves.

Other signs include:

• A weaker grip in one hand
• One arm held awkwardly against the side of the body
• The absence of the Moro reflex

Cranial nerve injury during birth is a less common type of nerve injury. Symptoms may include facial paralysis or asymmetrical movements in the face.

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Another common type of birth injury is cerebral palsy, most often caused by brain damage resulting from oxygen deprivation during birth. Symptoms can vary in cerebral palsy. Depending on how extensive the brain damage is, a child with cerebral palsy may have a mild case with few signs or suffer from debilitating symptoms.[2]

Some of these symptoms may be obvious immediately after a child is born, while others will become more obvious with age. The symptoms also vary with the type of cerebral palsy.

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common, with symptoms including stiffness, awkward movements, and difficulty walking. In severe cases of spastic cerebral palsy, a child may experience spastic movements in all parts of the body.

Other symptoms that a child with cerebral palsy may have include vision and hearing problems, seizures, cognitive impairments, developmental disabilities, writhing, jerky, or uncontrollable movements, trouble with balance and coordination, and difficulty with fine motor skills.

Some of the earliest symptoms of cerebral palsy in an infant include:

• The head flopping to one side or back
• A feeling of either unusual stiffness or floppiness when holding the baby
• A feeling that the baby is pushing away when being held
• Stiff legs that cross each other or scissoring movements

Skull Fracture Symptoms

Another potential type of birth injury is a skull fracture. These are often mild and cause no symptoms. If a fracture exists and is undetected, it may cause issues later.

When skull fractures are more moderate or severe, symptoms may include an indentation or a lump on the head, seizures, bleeding, bruising, or unexplained listlessness.

Brain Damage Symptoms

There are a variety of brain damage symptoms. The symptoms aren’t always obvious, but sometimes there are noticeable immediate signs. These early signs may include an unusually shaped skull, a small head, or a prominent forehead.

The spinal column may also be malformed, facial features may be distorted, and the neck may be stiff. A baby with brain damage may also have unusual eye movements, seizures, and general fussiness or discomfort that seems excessive.

As a child with brain damage grows older, more symptoms may emerge:[3]

• Including developmental delays
• Cognitive deficits
• Behavioral challenges
• Issues with physical development, such as failure to meet typical developmental milestones
• Tremors
• Muscle spasms
• Extreme fatigue

What to Do if Your Child Shows Birth Injury Symptoms

If you suspect something is wrong with your baby, inform your doctor immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment of a birth injury can spare your child many more symptoms in the future. Not all birth injuries can be cured, but early interventions can help.

For instance, a newer treatment that involves cooling a brain-damaged baby for several days is proving to be successful in reversing a lot of damage that causes symptoms.

Although not all birth injury cases can be cured or reversed, early interventions can even help with things like educational and cognitive deficits. Giving your child the care he needs as soon as possible will help him live the best life.

And, if you suspect that some malpractice was involved in your child’s birth injury, don’t hesitate to contact a birth injury lawyer to find out if you have a case and what you can do to win compensation and justice for your child.