Terbutaline is a generic version of the name-brand drugs Brethine and Bricanyl. It is commonly used "off label" to stop pre-term labor, prolong pregnancy and prevent premature birth. About 1 million women are treated with terbutaline and related drugs every year for this purpose.
Terbutaline is actually an asthma drug and it’s use to control pre-term labor is highly controversial. Some medical professionals contend that the drug is dangerous while others say it is no more effective at prolonging labor than a placebo. The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved uses of terbutaline for anything other than controlling asthma.
Several recent studies have raised concerns that the drug may have a profound, negative impact on an unborn baby’s brain development because it can cause overstimulation of certain brain activity. This overstimulation could lead to autism, particularly in twins.
Further, the study’s findings suggest that exposure to drugs like terbutaline early in development might leave the brains of children especially susceptible to damage from environmental chemicals like pesticides.
As a result, when mothers are given terbutaline during pregnancy, even those children who escape the trauma of autism at birth could remain at risk for the condition for years after birth.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs is currently investigating cases of fraternal twins diagnosed with autism who’s mother was treated with terbutaline during pregnancy. If you or someone you love has autistic fraternal twins, please contact us for professional insight.
Archive for the ‘Birth Trauma’ Category
Terbutaline linked to autism
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010Could Cerebral Palsy be preventable?
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009I came across an article on that was both surprising and appalling.
According to the article, more than 10,000 infants or pre-school aged children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year. Of these, approximately 20 percent were due to medical negligence or malpractice. That means that with better care from hospitals, doctors and staff, 2,000 children who are now afflicted with cerebral palsy and diagnosed this year, could be living normal, healthy lives.
The article lists the following symptoms of cerebral palsy:
– Muscle tightness and spasticity
– Involuntary movements
– Gait disturbances
– Difficulty swallowing
– Impairment of sight, hearing or speech
– Seizures
– Breathing problems
– Bladder and bowel control problems
– Skin disorders
– Learning disabilities
It is heartbreaking to think that thousands of parents must watch their children suffer through this handicap knowing that it could have been prevented. Legal action can help lessen the financial burden, but it cannot make up for the damage done by negligent medical staff.
Other causes of cerebral palsy include injury to the child’s head and drug or alcohol use by or physical abuse of the pregnant mother.
If you have been affected by cerebral palsy, visit www.cerebralpalsy.org <http://www.cerebralpalsy.org> to find a support group near you, as well as more information on how to fight back.
Birth Defects differ from Birth Injuries
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009While many people use the terms “birth defect” and “birth injury” interchangeably, there is a physical, and legal, difference between the two.
A birth defect typically means that something occurred prior to or during pregnancy that caused something to go wrong with the child’s health and development. A birth injury, or birth trauma, means that something happened during delivery that caused the baby to be deprived of oxygen or to suffer some other injury that was the direct cause of problems during delivery.
Unfortunately, most cases of birth trauma could have been avoided.
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For medical malpractice to be proven, four different elements must exist: duty of care, breach of duty, injury, and proximate cause. Duty of care means that the doctor or medical professional was responsible for providing reasonable care—something that is almost always me when a doctor-patient relationship exists. Breach of duty means that the doctor did not provide the reasonable and professional care he or she owed to you. Injury must have been caused by that breach of duty, and proximate cause means that without the negligent act itself, the injury would not have occurred. I
f it can be shown that you may have suffered the injury even if the doctor had not made the mistake, there is no proximate cause.
If you or a loved one has suffered a birth injury, it is important to seek professional advice as soon as possible as most states impose time limits.