subject: Check With A Birth Injury Attorney If Your Baby Suffered A Gbs Injury From Gbs Meningitis [print this page] Group B Strep is the most common cause of sepsis and meningitis (a dangerous illness of the fluid of the spinal cord and the fluid surrounding the brain) in newborns. As a bacterial infection, group b strep can attack an infant if it is passed to the child from the mother when the child is born
The bacteria generally grows in the vagina and/or the lower intestine. It is found in about 1 out of every 4 adult women. However, it does not normally bring about an active infection or induce symptoms. Transmission from expecting mother to the baby typically occurs during labor and delivery. The child might come in contact with GBS, for example, if the bacteria travels up from the mother's vagina into the uterus after the membranes (bag of water) break. The infant may likewise be exposed to GBS when passing down through the birth canal. During this time period, the child can swallow or breathe in the bacteria.
Approximately 75% of instances of GBS in newborns take place in the first week of life, and most appear inside of a number of hours after birth. This is known as "early onset" disease. The others develop a GBS infection at anytime from one week to several months after birth. This is known as as "late onset." According to reports, nearly one-half of instances of late onset can be linked to the newborn's mother having been colonized with the bacteria. In the remaining cases of late onset, the origin of the infection is unidentified.
After the baby comes into contact with the bacteria, it might get into the child's bloodstream. This may bring about sepsis (overpowering infection throughout the body), pneumonia, or meningitis. These are all significant conditions which can progress rapidly and leave the newborn with lifelong disabilities or might result in the infant's death. Some familiar possible disabilities are: brain damage, cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness, and seizure disorders.
The most common symptoms of meningitis include: a high fever, lethargy, unusual irritability, trouble feeding, stiffness, vomiting, and rashes. Given that the infection can develop quickly prompt treatment is critical to prevent serious harm to the infant. For bacterial based meningitis (for example that caused by Group B Strep), treatment calls for the speedy use of intravenous IV and antibiotics. A diagnosis of meningitis is made by removing a sample of spinal fluid from a spinal tap and culturing the bacteria for correct identification. This is important so as to identify the right antibiotic for use. The results of the test might take several hours. In the time it takes for the results, the infection could lead to lasting harm or kill the baby. Given the urgency required, treatment usually starts before there is a verified diagnosis if meningitis is suspected. Penicillin is the most widely administered treatment.
If a newborn passed away or suffers from lasting disabilities that were avoidable apart from the failure on the part of a physician to diagnose GBS meningitis or to give immediate treatment that physician might be liable for malpractice. The mothers and fathers of children thus injured by GBS meningitis need to contact a birth injury lawyer as soon as possible because the law permits just a limited amount of time to pursue a birth injury claim.
by: Joseph Hernandez
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