Steps For Supporting Children With Birth Traumas Or Injuries

Between six and eight out of every 1,000 babies in the U.S. are born with a birth injury, reports the Birth Injury Guide, and that amounts to around 28,000 babies every year. Some of the most common injuries include brachial plexus injury, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and cerebral palsy (CP). Of these conditions, some – including CP – can give rise to complex needs, meaning that a child will require significant additional support on a daily basis. If you have just had a baby with a birth trauma resulting in long-term effects, what steps can help you and your child feel more empowered, both now and in the future?

Finding The Perfect Child Care Center Or Home Day Care Solution

When your child is a baby or toddler, or when they are still too young to go to school, finding the right child care center or family day care center is important. Having free time to conduct research, find the right professionals, and make key decisions regarding your family’s finances is vital. When selecting between different day care options, opt for those offering early intervention programs. These provide families with customized plans to help a child maximize their skills as soon as possible. Just a few services that may be required by your child include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and educational services.

Seeking Legal Aid

After your child has been diagnosed as having experienced trauma, you will undoubtedly rely on the expertise of a medical team to decide on the best treatment and (if required) rehabilitation program for your child. Once you are set on the right medical path, it is important to be aware of your legal rights. As stated by legal specialists Janet, Janet & Suggs, caring for a child with complex needs can result in significant expense. For conditions like CP, some promising treatments – including stem cell therapy – are expensive, and not covered by typical insurance plans. The Cerebral Palsy Guide indicates, meanwhile, that the lifetime cost of caring for a person with CP amounts to around $1 million over a lifetime. If this or any other injury has been caused by medical negligence, obtaining compensation can help ensure that your child has access to the best treatments available.

Being Part Of Something Greater

For parents of a child with birth trauma, joining a group or association specializing in their child’s disability can be a big help. This is because other parents are invaluable sources of information on everything from innovative treatments to good child care centers and schools, skilled professionals, and recent research findings. Being part of a group can also help instill the vital sense of being supported, and of being able to talk with others and share both frustrations and achievements, without feeling judged or isolated.

Almost 30,000 children are born with a birth trauma in the U.S. every year. If your child is one of them, empowering their progress by choosing the right child care center or school is important. So is obtaining legal compensation when it is due so that expense does not pose a burden on your finances. Finally, joining a support group will help you find a vital source of support to lean on in tough times.