Maryland Attorney for Infant Difficulty Eating from Birth Injury

Ensuring your newborn maintains a healthy diet is vital to allow a child to develop properly. However, if you notice that your child has difficulty with eating or swallowing food and liquids, it may be a cause for concern. Under certain circumstances, a child’s inability to eat could mean that they sustained a severe injury at birth. If your infant has problems with eating due to a birth injury, you should consult with an experienced Maryland birth injury attorney for infant eating issues.

At Rice, Murtha & Psoras, we are committed to helping parents seek compensation for an injury to their newborn child. Your child should not have to struggle to consume food due to the medical negligence of a medical practitioner. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss the unique details of your case, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291. Our online submission form can also be used to contact us.

Signs and Symptoms of Infant Eating Difficulty Issues in Maryland

The inability to consume food or liquids can be a serious issue for a newborn. Infants require the nutrients from food to grow and reach important developmental milestones. If you notice any of the following signs and symptoms, this may indicate that your child has difficulty eating due to a birth injury.

A child arching their back while attempting to eat is one clear sign that a child may have issues with chewing or swallowing. This may seem like a harmless trait, but when combined with other behavior, it could show that a newborn has suffered a birth injury that affects their ability to eat. There are various other signs and symptoms that may indicate that a newborn has problems with chewing or swallowing:

  • Restlessness when attempting to eat
  • Refusing to eat certain types or textures of food
  • Consistent vomiting
  • Recurrent respiratory infections
  • Frequent coughing when feeding
  • Loss of weight or difficulty gaining weight
  • Excessive drooling

This is not a comprehensive list. There are many other signs and symptoms that can help identify that a child is experiencing difficulty with eating. To learn more about liability for a birth injury that caused a child to develop issues with eating, you should continue reading and contact an experienced Maryland medical malpractice lawyer.

Common Birth Injuries that May Cause Infant Difficulty Eating

A birth injury may explain why your child has difficulty eating. Specifically, an eating disorder may be a sign that an infant has developed cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects the brain, which can then affect a child’s motor functions. As a result, a child may have difficulty moving their mouth to chew or swallow.

Cerebral palsy is often caused because a doctor acted negligently when delivering an infant. In many cases, a newborn develops cerebral palsy because of physical trauma or a lack of oxygen experienced by the newborn. For example, if a doctor used too much force when utilizing forceps to pull a child from the birth canal, this excessive force could easily injure a fragile newborn.

A newborn could experience a loss of oxygen under many different circumstances. For example, if a child becomes distressed due to a prolonged labor, this could result in a loss of oxygen. If a doctor fails to suggest a cesarean section or other alternatives to avoid asphyxiation, the doctor could be liable for the child’s injuries.

This is not an exclusive list of birth injuries that can result in a child experiencing difficulty with chewing or swallowing. Our legal team can help you file a lawsuit for other causes of birth injury that are not listed above.

Proving Liability in Maryland for Infant Difficulty Eating from Birth Injury

If your child has difficulty chewing or swallowing due to a birth injury, you can file a lawsuit against the parties liable for the child’s injuries. A plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit will have to show how a healthcare provider acted negligently in order to be awarded damages for their injuries. Various types of evidence can be used to prove negligence, like eyewitness accounts or documentation confirming a birth injury.

There are specific elements that a plaintiff must prove to show negligence:

  • The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care
  • The defendant breached the duty of care
  • The plaintiff sustained an injury due to the defendant’s actions
  • The plaintiff suffered an injury that is compensable in a court of law

The legal team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras is here to help you pursue a medical malpractice suit against a doctor or hospital for medical negligence.

Consult with Our Experienced Maryland Lawyer for Infant Difficulty Eating from Birth Injury

If your newborn child has issues with eating caused by a birth injury, you should waste no time in contacting an experienced Maryland birth injury lawyer as soon as possible. the legal team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras is prepared to hear the details of your case to help you build a lawsuit against the negligent medical staff liable for your child’s injuries. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your potential case, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291. We are also available online.