NEONATAL HYPOGLYCAEMIA HIP DYSPLASIA AND KERNICTERUS

There are a number of neonatal medical conditions that may arise shortly after a child is born that if not treated quickly and effectively can place the child at serious risk of permanent disability or even death. Healthcare professionals including consultants, doctors, midwives and nurses should be vigilant in the early part of a child’s life and should be aware of the warning signs of these problems. Failure to act appropriately and in a timely manner may mean that they are negligent and liable to pay compensation for any harm suffered by the child as a result of their inaction. Most children will qualify for full Legal Aid, with no financial contribution, to take action for damages. Only the child's income if any is taken into account even though the parents may have considerable income and assets. Some of the most serious neonatal conditions that give rise to claims for compensation include:

• Hip Dysplasia
  which is a dislocation of the leg from the pelvis. Delay in making a diagnosis of hip dislocation is a frequent cause of litigation against those responsible for neonatal health in the community including doctors, clinic nurses, health visitors and their employing health authorities. Examination of the hips is an important neonatal clinical screening test throughout infancy and a careful examination of the hips should be carried out at regular intervals until the child is walking normally. The condition is not always present at birth and the child may go on to develop the problem at a later stage. Doctors and nurses should take every opportunity to check a child’s hips and if necessary refer the child on for ultrasound or X-ray and subsequent specialist opinion as delay makes treatment more complicated and may have serious long term effects. Due to negligence by healthcare professionals hip dysplasia is often not diagnosed until the child is walking having already been seen by numerous doctors and nurses and treatment at this stage often involves repeated hospitalisation, major surgery and a less than satisfactory end result.
• Neonatal Hypoglycaemia
  is a condition that results in lower than normal concentrations of glucose in an infants blood stream which can cause damage to the brain and subsequent impairment. Certain children are at increased risk during the early hours and days after birth including infants of insulin dependent mothers, infants with growth retardation, pre-term and asphyxiated infants. Whilst doctors often recognise babies as ‘hypoglycaemic’ from basic test results, if the symptoms of neonatal hypoglycaemia are not present they often do not recognise the extent to which the child is suffering and as a result do not take appropriate action to prevent brain damage.
• Kernicterus and Hyperbilirubinaemia
  are relatively rare conditions however the consequences can be devastating and lead to cerebral palsy. Health care professionals should be aware of this condition and the signs and symptoms of an infant suffering from kernicterus and hyperbilirubinaemia and take appropriate action.

If you believe that your doctor has been negligent and you would like free advice on our Legal Aid compensation claim service then just complete the contact form and a member of The Law Society panel of medical negligence experts will telephone you to discuss your claim at no cost and with no obligation.