Legal Help for Houston Medical Malpractice Claims
Jaundice is a common condition in newborns caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Mild jaundice is harmless and usually goes away in one or two weeks without treatment. Severe jaundice is a medical condition that requires immediate treatment to avoid complications such as neonatal kernicterus. If your child has suffered complications due to the failure to diagnose and treat severe jaundice, contact the attorneys at Hampton & King in Houston. We offer a free consult to answer your questions and explain your options. You may have the right to seek compensation for your child’s future medical needs.
What Is Kernicterus?
Symptoms of jaundice include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. In severe cases, your baby’s skin will become a deeper shade of yellow and he or she may become listless, difficult to wake, or have difficulty feeding. When a baby has severe jaundice, high levels of bilirubin can pass into the child’s brain. Bilirubin is toxic and can cause acute bilirubin encephalopathy. Prompt treatment is necessary to prevent kernicterus.
Kernicterus is permanent damage that can lead to things such as the following:
- Uncontrolled movements or palsy
- Blindness
- Upward or downward gaze
- Hearing loss
- Impaired digestion
Treatment for excessive jaundice includes:
- Light therapy
- Intravenous immunoglobulin
- Exchange transfusion
We are devoted to handling cases that involve medical malpractice! Our lawyers can analyze the medical records and consult pediatric experts to determine if your doctor did everything he or she should have to prevent kernicterus. With 70+ years of collective experience and a commitment to provide state-of-the-art legal service, we are ready to help with your birth injury case.
To discuss severe jaundice or other childbirth complications with one of our lawyers, call the Houston office of Hampton & King at (713) 658-0231