What is Erb’s palsy?

If your child has been diagnosed with Erb’s palsy in Louisiana, you may be wondering how this happened and what can be done. Many people do not realize that this condition is generally due to errors made by a doctor as he or she was delivering the baby and these injuries can affect your child indefinitely.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Erb’s palsy can occur if your baby was large or in a breech position and endured a long or difficult delivery. In some cases, doctors must resort to using forceps or a vacuum in order to quickly remove the baby from the birth canal. This process can damage nerves in the upper half of the baby’s body and limit movement.

There are four levels of injury. If your child’s nerves were completely severed from the spinal cord, this is called an avulsion. Some arm function may be restored, but most injuries cannot be fully repaired. Ruptures are what happens when the nerves are stretched to the point of tearing. They cannot heal on their own and will likely require surgery.

There are two levels of injury that are less severe. The first is a neuroma, in which the stretching causes scar tissue to form on the nerves. Some recovery is possible in these cases, but total function is unlikely. Neurapraxia is a type of damage that does not tear the nerve, but merely shocks it. Most children will recover on their own from this type of injury. This information is intended for your education and should not be taken as legal or medical advice.