Birth and delivery put stress on a baby. To protect the baby and minimize the dangers of giving birth, medical professionals must use extreme care during labor, including monitoring fetal heart rate changes from baseline—a marker of fetal well-being—to ensure that the baby is getting enough oxygen and is non-acidotic. When a baby is deprived... Read More

Hearing the news that your baby has a birth injury is never easy, and many parents want to understand as much as possible—as quickly as possible—about what their child is going through. Read on to learn about Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), Sarnat scores, and what a Stage I HIE, Stage II HIE, or Stage III HIE... Read More

Healthcare professionals evaluate newborn babies, grading them with Apgar scores, an assessment that analyzes their appearance, responsiveness and general condition shortly after birth. In this article, we take a closer look at the connection between low Apgar scores and cerebral palsy. What Is an Apgar Score? The Apgar score—developed in 1952 by Dr. Virginia Apgar—is... Read More

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious and life-threatening type of brain damage that can occur in infants. Parents of children with a hypoxic ischemic brain injury at birth face emotional, physical, and financial stress. To better understand HIE, let’s go over the details of the condition, how it impacts families, and what to do... Read More

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, also known as HIE, is a life-threatening and serious birth injury that occurs around birth. HIE causes mild to severe brain injuries, sometimes even leading to significant impairments such as cerebral palsy or other developmental conditions. For parents of children with the condition, finding the right hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy treatment is key... Read More

Neurodevelopmental disorders are primarily associated with the brain and neurological system’s functioning, resulting in disability. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy may have difficulties with motor skills, speech, language, memory, learning, behavior, and other neurological functions. Why Is Cerebral Palsy a Neurodevelopmental Disorder? Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder because it... Read More

Also known as dyskinetic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, athetoid hemiplegic cerebral palsy is a type of movement disorder that affects only one side of the body. Resulting from damage to the developing brain, this condition causes involuntary movements such as trembling, twisting, and grimacing, making it difficult for a patient to live a normal life. While... Read More

A significant majority of cerebral palsy cases will occur in the womb or during childbirth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts this number at about 90% of cases. The other 10% of cases will occur after birth, a condition known as acquired cerebral palsy. Acquired CP is most likely to occur as a... Read More

The normal progression of labor is marked by dilatation of the cervix, thinning out of the cervix, and descent of the baby down the birth canal. If any of these progression markers are delayed or stalled, the medical staff needs to evaluate whether there’s prolonged or arrested labor. Failure to properly manage labor can lead... Read More

During labor, expectant mothers may have the option to receive epidural anesthesia. Although an epidural generally offers numerous benefits, it could also cause serious side effects for the mother or child. It’s important to understand the potential disadvantages of an epidural during labor. Discover what can go wrong with this type of anesthesia and whether... Read More