The birth of a baby is a joyous occasion for the entire family. When the delivery doesn’t go as planned, however, it can be understandably quite traumatic for the mother and the baby. Whether you have your baby privately or through the NHS, the duty of care is a vital component in your stay.
Birth injury claims are a delicate matter, a fact that we understand and address with professionalism and care. Medical negligence cases can affect you and your baby’s life long-term, and neonatal sepsis can, in particular, cause a wide variety of conditions.
What is Neonatal Sepsis?
According to The UK Sepsis Trust, sepsis develops when the body goes into overdrive in its attempt to fight infection. As a serious infection, it can cause septic shock and can be potentially fatal.
Transmitted during birth through amniotic fluid or during a vaginal delivery as the baby is born, neonatal sepsis can pose a wide variety of health risks. The central nervous system or the surrounding membranes can be infected, caused by an infection the baby’s blood stream.
What are the Symptoms?
These are distinct symptoms that require immediate and quick medical attention. Neonatal sepsis is an emergency that needs to be treated appropriately, as fast as possible. Left untreated, it can lead to long-term health complications or even death.
Some symptoms of sepsis that may present in newborn babies are:
- Alterations in body temperature
- Jaundice
- Paleness, patchiness, or blue-toned skin
- Reduced sucking or difficulty in feeding
- Vomiting
- Increase in irritability
- Seizures
- Swelling of the baby’s soft spot on the head
- Lethargy
- Septic shock
- Fast breathing or breathing difficulty
Laboratory tests such as blood and urine tests are commonly used to confirm the presence of sepsis.
What Causes Neonatal Sepsis?
Neonatal sepsis can be caused by both viruses and bacteria and, the younger the baby, the higher the risk of developing this complication. Some risk factors associated with sepsis in newborn infants are:
- Lack of oxygen to the brain’s baby before or during the delivery
- A maternal infection
- E Coli bacteria
- Group b streptococcus
- Herpes simplex virus
- Premature birth
Why is it Important to Make a Claim?
Lifelong issues can arise and develop from neonatal sepsis being undiagnosed or improperly treated. Inflammation of the brain by either direct or indirect infection of the central nervous system may lead to encephalitis. Failure in recognising or mistreating the infection can result in a fatality, or conditions arising such as:
- Cerebral palsy
- Brain injury
- Pneumonia
- Osteomyelitis
Physical and emotional distress in a situation supposed to be joyful can be traumatic, with massive consequences for the rest of your life and your baby’s life. Here at The Claims Partnership we have experience in gross medical negligence cases, and we are always happy to offer you advice and help through the process.
Get in touch with us by giving us a call on 01772 562084 to know more about our services.