Medical malpractice that occurs during or even before the birth of your child can cause birth injuries that might affect your child for the rest of their life. Examples of negligent behavior during delivery that might cause a birth injury include improper use of forceps or neglecting to perform a necessary C-section.
Some birth injuries are immediately apparent, while others have symptoms that you might only notice as your child develops. If you know or suspect that your child suffers from a birth injury, it is a good idea to monitor their development closely using the milestone tracker provided by the CDC.
After six months
By the six-month mark, most children can recognize people they see frequently aside from just their parents. Your baby might also start trying to communicate with you by making sounds or squealing noises. In terms of physical development, six-month-olds can typically support themselves with their arms when lying down or sitting.
After one year
From a social and cognitive standpoint, your one-year-old should understand very simple games or know to search for objects that you hide from them. By this point, you might also notice your child refer to you by a consistent name like “mama” or “dada.”
After two years
The two-year milestone typically comes with greater recognition of language and emotions. Your two-year-old might react when someone looks sad and start to string together words into partial or full sentences. Two-year-olds can also usually walk up a few stairs or run for short distances without stumbling and without assistance.
As you monitor your child’s growth, it might become apparent that a birth injury is hindering their development. If this is the case, you may have grounds to pursue additional legal action for your family’s pain and suffering as a result of medical malpractice.
