Can Erb’s Palsy be Prevented?

in birth injury Erb's Palsy erbs palsy
The birth of a baby is supposed to be a cause for celebration, but when there are unfortunate complications during birth, the happiness can end up being put on hold. A birth injury called Erb's palsy, along with cerebral palsy, is one of the most common complications that occurs in childbirth happening in .3 - 2.0 of every 1000 births. Erb's palsy occurs when specific nerves in the child's upper arm are damaged during delivery.

The damage to the C5-C6 spinal roots usually occurs during a difficult childbirth. Some issues that can arise and may lead to Erb's palsy are the baby being too large to fit through the mother's pelvis, the baby being in a breech position, lengthy and/or particularly hard labor and the use of forceps or vacuum to get the baby out.

The nerves can be damaged, stretched or torn, due to excessive pressure or pulling of the area. When a child is affected by Erb's palsy he will be unable to move one of his arms. On a more positive note, there is a chance that the condition will improve or resolve on its own. The nerves may heal without any treatment at all or with some non-invasive treatment such as chiropractic and physical therapy. In some cases surgery may be necessary to help correct or improve the condition.

Sometimes birth injuries such as these are unavoidable; however many do not have to occur. f you have a child affected by Erb's palsy that you feel occurred due to medical malpractice, our team would be happy to complete a free assessment of your case. Just take a moment to fill out our form and our experienced team will be in touch to advise you of your options.