Of all children that are born before the seventh month of pregnancy, at least one third suffer from disabilities. According to a French study, the earlier the birth, the higher the degree of disability.

The study focused on 1,817 five-year-old French children who were born pre-maturely, from 22 to 32 weeks. The cognitive skills of the children were assessed using a scale that is equivalent to an IQ test. Their motor skills, such as walking, hearing and vision were also assessed.

The results of these children were compared with the results of a second group of 396 children who had been full term deliveries.

Of the premature children, five percent suffered from severe disabilities, nine percent suffered from moderate disabilities and twenty-fiver percent had minor disabilities. This is in contrast to the full term children, 0.3 percent suffered from severe disabilities, three percent had moderate disabilities and eight percent had minor disabilities.

The authors of the study interpret these results as meaning that the more premature a baby is born, the higher the chances of disability.

If your child, or the child of a loved one, has suffered severe illness or disability from premature birth due to the negligence of another, contact a birth trauma attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced birth trauma lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.

          The funding for a state-sponsored birth injury program in Virginia is being debated in the state legislature. The Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program provides money to families whose children suffered debilitating injuries at birth from causes such as lack of oxygen to pay for doctor visits, therapy, walkers, and other expenses involved with caring for a handicapped child. The program has recently started running out of the funds that it was allotted almost 20 years ago. The main reason legislators say the original funding has run out so soon is that everyone underestimated how long children on the program would live. Back then, a child who could not eat, talk, or sit up on his or her own was lucky to live to age 5. Today, the oldest child in the Virginia program is almost 20, thanks to improvements in the medical field.
            Families receiving the financial aid hope the new funding will pass because if it does, it would cover the costs of the children in the program for the entirety of his or her lifetime. Right now, the estimated cost for each of the 136 children over their lifetime is $2.2 million. Legislators are trying to find a way to find a way to give the money without cutting out current recipients or benefits.
          To enroll in the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program parents must agree not to sue the doctor or hospital that may have had a hand in their child’s pain. Though Florida has already adopted a similar program, some people have expressed concerns that a wide use of such a program would decrease doctor and hospital liability and make the quality of birth service people receive worse. It is for this reason that lawyers like those at the law office of Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP are here to help families hurt by those in the medical industry. If your child is injured at birth, do not wait for a compensation program like the one in Virginia to come around—contact an attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606 as soon as possible.

Researchers in Australia have concluded that viral infections, herpes in particular, are a contributing factor in preeclampsia, a condition that affects pregnant women, causing high blood pressure and premature labor.

The research extends over a ten-year period. A viral nucleic acid was detected in blood samples of 1,326 newborns. Of the tested newborns, over 400 developed cerebral palsy.

The findings indicate that further study is needed to determine why women are genetically susceptible to dangerous pregnancies due to exposure to viral infections.

In the United States, and worldwide, over ten percent of women pregnant for the first time develop preeclampsia. In some developing countries, high blood pressure during pregnancy is a leading cause of death.

The research group responsible for the findings has also found links between viral infections and the development of cerebral palsy, as well as mutations in the genes that control inflammation and blood clotting.

They also discovered a link between several genetic mutations that are hereditary and inflammatory proteins that can cause constriction and disruption of blood vessels in the placenta and brain of a pregnant woman. A disruption such as this often results in high blood presser during pregnancy.

Preeclampsia during pregnancy can be detected early, during regular doctor visits. A doctor can treat preeclampsia with bed rest and induce labor if necessary.

If your child, or the child of a loved one, has suffered birth defects or birth trauma as a result from improper guidance or diagnosis by their doctor, contact a preeclampsia attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced birth trauma lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.