Brachial Plexus Injury

There are many different resources for babies with special needs, like hypoxic brain injuries, brachial plexus injuries or cerebral palsy. Here at Tyrone Law Firm, we do everything we can to help families find the resources they need to have a better quality of life. In fact, we have dedicated staff members who have had to navigate a path for their own children. If you are the parent of a special needs child, we hope these posts will bring new resources to you, your child and your family.

Understanding your child’s injury, diagnosis and treatment is very important for their lifelong care. Without an understanding, you are unable to provide your child with the care they need and deserve. Brachial plexus injuries are the most common injuries sustained by infants during delivery. The brachial plexus is a network of nerve fibers that run from the spine and through the neck into the arms. When an infant experiences a brachial plexus injury, it can happen to any part of the nerve fibers, and can range in severity depending upon the location of the injury and how it happened. Lesions or damage to the brachial plexus can result in severe functional impairment or disabilities.

Often, during a stressful delivery, birth-assistance tools, like forceps or a vacuum are used to assist a mother in delivering her baby. These tools can cause a brachial plexus injury. There are other factors that can cause this injury, but forceps and vacuums are the most common. Sometimes, doctors may apply improper pressure and force on a baby during delivery. This too can cause injury to the infant, as their shoulders may get pulled too hard and cause tearing and stretching of the brachial plexus.

There are several types of brachial plexus injuries. There are a series of tests to determine this type of injury. Symptoms usually show shortly after birth and may include:

No Moro Reflex on the affected side
Limited or no movement on the affected side
Claw-like hand appearance
Abnormal muscle contractions, which may become permanent, even after treatment options

If you would like to know more about brachial plexus injuries to infants, we hope that the article below will help you. You can also find more information at www.360advocacy.com. If you would like more information on available resources, or if our firm can ever help you or someone you know, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the Tyrone Law Firm.