Usually, babies who experience brain damage as infants experience long-term physical and neurological problems. It’s important to understand how these types of injuries occur, signs and symptoms to watch out for, and how pediatric neurologists approach treatment for babies who have suffered brain damage.
Brain damage to an infant can occur during pregnancy, during the labor/delivery process, and/or shortly after birth. Trauma that causes infant brain damage can either begin externally or can occur due to a problem that stops the flow of oxygen to the brain.
Most parents think of a temporary yellowing of the skin as the only effect of jaundice, but left untreated, this common condition can result in serious brain damage. Caused by an excessive amount of bilirubin (a pigment in red blood cells), jaundice can cause a condition known as kernicterus when left untreated. Kernicterus can present in different ways, but many babies who have the condition exhibit symptoms including poor feeding, fever, absence of certain reflexes, lethargy, and/or high-pitched crying.
An excessive amount of bilirubin in the blood can reach toxic levels, which can affect a baby’s delicate brain cells. In addition to kernicterus, some babies experience a condition known as acute bilirubin encephalopathy. This can result in diminished muscle tone and a musculoskeletal condition called opisthotonus, resulting in the body bowed forward while the head and heels are bent backward.
Also known as oxygen deprivation, birth asphyxia affects about 4 out of every 1,00 full-term babies. Premature babies are at higher risk for birth asphyxia injuries. When a baby is born, it normally doesn’t take long for them to begin to breathe on their own. If they do not start breathing on their own, they’re at risk for brain damage and lifelong disorders including autism, ADHD, impaired vision, cerebral palsy, and more.
Factors that can cause birth asphyxia include:
While many infants fully recover from mild to moderate oxygen deprivation, babies who suffer from severe deprivation are more likely to experience permanent damage or even death due to organ failure.
Infections in the mother during pregnancy are fairly common but can be dangerous if left untreated. Brain damage due to maternal infection is most likely during the late stages of pregnancy or during labor/delivery. Chorioamnionitis and toxoplasmosis are two of the most common maternal infections that can cause lasting brain damage.
Mistakes during the birth process can cause lifelong health issues for babies. Physical trauma during the labor and delivery process is the most common cause of intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy in the United States. Premature babies are more likely to suffer brain injuries during labor and delivery than full-term babies.
Common causes of physical trauma during birth that leads to brain injuries include:
Many parents are unsure of whether their baby suffered a birth injury that resulted in infant brain damage. While some symptoms may be noticeable right away, others may take time to set in. Many babies who experience brain damage during the birth process experience symptoms such as excessive and/or high-pitched crying, refusing breastmilk and/or formula, the appearance of a small skull and/or a large forehead, deformed facial features, and developmental delays.
The level of care necessary to treat infant brain damage depends on the degree of the injury. For mild brain damage, surgery may do more harm than good. Occupational therapy, physical therapy, and medication may be a better fit. For more severe cases of brain damage, surgery may be necessary to repair structural issues and decrease swelling/pressure. Some doctors are now using hypothermia therapy, in which the infant’s body is cooled for at least three days after birth. This treatment has been shown to increase the baby’s chances of survival and decrease the likelihood of permanent physical and neurological problems.
If there’s a chance of infant brain damage at birth, the attending physician must start treatment right away. Failure to do so can result in further injury or death.
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