Cephalohematoma

Philadelphia Cephalohematoma Lawyers Serving Clients with Serious Birth Injuries

Nobody who is planning for the birth of a baby should have to worry about whether a healthcare provider’s negligence might result in a serious birth injury. However, birth injuries do occur, and they can result in severe and life-threatening conditions. In some cases, a birth injury can impact your baby’s ability to function for the rest of his or her life. One common type of birth injury is a cephalohematoma. According to a fact sheet from MedScape, cephalohematoma is a “subperiosteal collection of blood secondary to rupture of blood vessels between the skull and the periosteum.” What does this mean in plain language? In short, it is a condition that refers to a collection of blood under the skin of the infant’s scalp.

Although this particular type of birth injury tends to heal fully in most babies, it is still extremely important to discuss your case with an aggressive Philadelphia cephalohematoma lawyer. You may be able to file a claim to seek compensation.

Learning More About Cephalohematoma

As we mentioned above, cephalohematoma is a condition in which blood pools under the skin of a newborn’s scalp. As an article in Parents Magazine explains, this is an injury that “stays on top of one of the skull bones,” and thus is very different from a subdural hematoma, which can have severe implications. To be sure, a cephalohematoma is relatively common in newborn babies, and in most cases should not be a condition that leads to lifelong side effects.

Most often, this injury shows itself within several hours after the baby has been born, and an obvious sign is a raised lump on the head. Typically, the baby’s body will reabsorb the blood over time, but this can take weeks to months in a best-case-scenario.

Effects of a Cephalohematoma

Usually the most serious side-effect of a cephalohematoma is an increased risk of jaundice in the first days of the infant’s life. However, in some situations, a cephalohematoma can be sufficiently severe so as to result in anemia and/or hypotension. Sometimes a linear skull fracture can also result in a cephalohematoma, and in certain cases a cephalohematoma can predispose a newborn to infection.

In addition, when a cephalohematoma is diagnosed incorrectly and the newborn actually suffers from a more dangerous injury such as a subdural hematoma, the consequences can be life-threatening.

What Causes a Cephalohematoma During Childbirth?

There are numerous ways in which a newborn can suffer a cephalohematoma, including but not limited to the following:

• Newborn’s head hitting the pelvic bone during delivery;
• Use of a vacuum to assist during delivery; and
• Other labor and delivery tools.

You should be able to rely on your doctor to delivery your baby safely. When a birth injury results, it is important to learn more about filing a claim for compensation.

Contact a Philadelphia Cephalohematoma Attorney

Was your baby born with a cephalohematoma? It is possible that your infant’s birth injury resulted from your doctor’s negligence or carelessness. You should discuss your situation with a cephalohematoma attorney in Philadelphia to learn more about filing a claim for compensation. Contact Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C. today.