Whole Body Cooling and Neonatal Injuries
Cleveland birth injury lawyer explains what parents need to know
Doctors need to act fast when dealing with neonatal injuries. One key medical intervention is whole body cooling or head cooling to treat certain birth injuries, including Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE).
Unfortunately, some obstetricians and other medical professionals misdiagnose HIE or don’t take certain birth injury warning signs seriously. As a result, there may be a delay in treatment or no medical treatment performed at all.
When this happens, medical negligence may have occurred. As a result, your family may be eligible to receive financial compensation due to your child’s injury. However, such legal cases can be very complicated. That’s why it’s critical that you have an experienced birth injury attorney on your side. That’s why you need The Lancione Law Firm.
The law firm you want when it matters most
Cleveland birth injury lawyer John A. Lancione has the knowledge and the experience you need to tackle your whole body cooling injury claim. Nationally recognized in the field of birth injury law, attorney Lancione can work with you to build a strong legal case.
The secret to our success starts with conducting an in-depth investigation. Whether it’s reviewing medical records or consulting with birth injury medical experts, we leave no stone unturned in search of the truth.
Our detailed approach frequently results in successful outcomes. In case after case, we consistently obtain sizable settlements and verdicts for families. We also understand your case is about more than just money. That’s why we promise to keep you informed every step of the way. We’re here for you when you need us most.
What is whole body cooling?
Whole body cooling is an emergency medical procedure used by doctors to treat newborn infants with certain birth injuries due to oxygen deprivation. In particular, medical professionals often rely on whole body cooling in response to Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE).
The procedure involves medical professionals carefully cooling an infant’s body temperature, usually to 92 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit. This slows down the infant’s metabolism, preventing brain damage associated with HIE.
Doctors generally need to start the whole body cooling process within 6 hours of the child’s birt, maintain the lower body temperature without interruption for at least 72 hours, then slowly raise the infant’s temperature by 1 degree over a 4-hour period to 97 or 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is head cooling?
As the name suggests, doctors sometimes decide to only cool a newborn infant’s head instead of their entire body. Like whole body cooling, selective head cooling is often used to treat neonatal birth injuries caused by oxygen deprivation, including HIE. Neonatal head cooling is also designed to prevent brain injuries often associated with HIE.
Some doctors prefer head cooling over whole body cooling due to possible injuries and side effects associated with hypothermia. However, medical studies have so far not concluded which cooling method is more effective or safer, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
What are common whole body cooling birth injuries?
Whole body cooling, head cooling and similar medical procedures are not risk-free – but neither is doing nothing. Newborns may sustain serious injuries if the medical procedure is performed incorrectly or when the procedure is not performed when medically indicated. Such injuries can include:
- Brain injuries, including cerebral palsy.
- Hypothermia or other injuries due to prolonged exposure to dangerously cold temperatures.
Other whole body cooling injuries are possible in certain circumstances. That’s why it’s critical that doctors and other medical professionals do everything they can to prevent serious injuries from occurring.
How does malpractice play a role?
Medical malpractice is often to blame when it comes to neonatal injuries involving whole body cooling or head cooling. Specific examples include:
- Delay in treatment.
- Failure to follow standard medical procedures.
- Failure to monitor the baby’s body temperature, heart rate or other vital signs.
- Failure to maintain a low body temperature for 72 hours.
- Raising the infant’s temperature too fast.
- Lowering the infant’s body temperature too low.
- Raising the infant’s body temperature too high.
Whatever the circumstances of your child’s injury, make sure you take action right away to hold medical professionals accountable. Talk to an experienced birth injury malpractice attorney at our Ohio law firm.
Demand justice. Contact our Ohio law firm. We can help
Don’t underestimate the complexity or the seriousness of your legal case. In most circumstances, the doctor or healthcare professional who caused your child’s whole body cooling injury will do everything they can to deny wrongdoing. Their lawyer will do the same since there’s often a lot of money at stake for medical bills and other injury-related expenses.
Cleveland birth injury lawyer John A. Lancione can work closely with you to build a strong, effective legal case. He knows how to deal with medical professionals, lawyers, insurance companies and anyone else who stands in your way for justice. As your attorney, he will work tirelessly to hold them accountable, whether it’s negotiating a settlement on your behalf or filing a whole body cooling injury lawsuit on your behalf.
Rely on the law firm Ohio families trust. Contact The Lancione Law Firm and schedule a free consultation with Ohio birth injury attorney John A. Lancione. You can reach us online or call (440) 331-6100 or (877) 515-4369 to schedule an appointment.