Risk Assessments for Congenital Defects and Pediatrician Negligence

A pediatrician has an obligation to access the health of their young patients and to educate themselves on the parent’s medical history.

Although it sounds a lot like the word genetic, congenital does not necessarily imply that an illness or condition is hereditary. Some congenital defects may be caused by a mother’s drug use during pregnancy or a contracted illness. No matter what the cause, many of these defects have a long lasting negative impact on the life of a child. If your newborn or child has been diagnosed with a congenital defect that went undetected contact a Missouri medical malpractice attorney. If further harm or suffering was inflicted on your child, you may be entitled to recover damages.

Congenital Heart Defects

The most common birth defects are congenital heart defects. This is a structural problem with the body’s heart, valves, or the arteries and veins. Normal blood flow through the heart is disrupted either by slowing down or going in the wrong direction. In serious cases it may be blocked completely.

In most instances, there is no known reason why a child’s heart did not develop properly. There are few instances where it is a chromosomal error or gene defect, but in almost 90% of the time the cause cannot be identified. The heart of a fetus develops in its first few weeks of life. Doctors have been able to identify some exposure risks by the mother during this time that may increase the odds of a congenital heart defect. Anti-seizure and some anti-depressant medications have been found to increase the likelihood of a newborn being born with a heart defect. Chronic diseases in the mother, such as diabetes and lupus, also put their babies at risk for a congenital heart defect. This is why a pediatrician’s assessment of the parent’s medical history as well as details of the pregnancy are so important.

Failure To Recognize Known Risk Factors

A wrongful death case resulted in a jury awarding a mother two million dollars. Her little girl suffered an untimely death from a congenital heart condition that was not diagnosed by her pediatrician. When the two year old first presented with symptoms, the doctor should have been compelled to check her heart for any defects. Experts in pediatric medicine would testify that given the same set of circumstances they would have considered a heart condition to be the cause of the illness.

Contact a Missouri Medical Malpractice Attorney

It is the responsibility of a parent to be forthright with any doctor involved in the care of their child, no matter how embarrassing it may be. The doctor is then responsible to use that information to monitor your child for any possible repercussions. Failure to acknowledge the warning signs is a breach of his duties. If this has happened to you and your child, contact Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200 immediately to get started on recovering your deserved compensation.

Photo credit:  jlhopgood