Kernicterus Negligence & Misdiagnosis Compensation Claims.

Approximately six in 10 babies will develop jaundice, rising to eight in 10 for babies born before 37 weeks gestation. However, only around one in 20 babies will have a bilirubin level high enough to require treatment.

There are a number of factors that may contribute to a baby developing kernicterus, including:

• Being born prematurely
• Being exclusively breastfed
• Having very high blood bilirubin levels
• Bilirubin levels rising rapidly
• Treatment is absent or delayed
• Siblings have previously had hyperbilirubinaemia
• Jaundice develops within 24 hours of birth

Medical staff are trained to look out for these risk factors and act accordingly. Failure to do so would usually mean that they were negligent in their care. If you feel that your baby’s kernicterus could have been prevented with due care and attention, speak to our team of clinical negligence lawyers today and we’ll be happy to offer advice.

When a baby is born, the medical team caring for them will keep a close eye on them, and one of the things they look for is signs of jaundice. If the baby has developed jaundice, they will then be monitored closely so that a potential case of kernicterus can be prevented, or in the very least detected and treated early.

There are a number of key symptoms which babies with kernicterus may present with, including:

• Symptoms of jaundice i.e. yellowing of the skin, dark yellow urine, pale poo.
• Reduction in appetite or not wanting to feed at all.
• Extreme lethargy and fatigue, spending very little time awake.
• Little or no response to their surroundings, e.g. not responding to loud noises.
• Unusual limpness and muscular stiffness.
• High-pitched crying.
• As kernicterus progresses, babies may also experience seizures, and arching of the back and neck.

If your newborn baby developed jaundice which was not detected or not treated properly and they then went on to develop kernicterus, it could indicate that the medical team responsible for your baby were negligent in their care. Our knowledgeable and understanding team of clinical malpractice solicitors can help to ensure your child is awarded the compensation they are entitled to, providing the financial support that you and your family need.

Kernicterus is a condition which occurs due to a lack of treatment for jaundice in the first instance. In many cases of jaundice, the levels of bilirubin are low enough that treatment is not necessary and the condition will disappear on its own after around two weeks as the baby’s liver develops properly. In some cases, the levels of bilirubin may be high enough that phototherapy is necessary. Phototherapy is a harmless treatment which involves regularly exposing the baby to a special type of light which helps their liver to process the bilirubin in the blood.

If phototherapy is not offered and the baby’s bilirubin levels are high, kernicterus can develop, and the only treatment option is an exchange transfusion. This is a type of complete blood transfusion, in which the baby’s blood is removed via a thin plastic tube and replaced with suitable blood from a matching donor. The new blood does not contain bilirubin, therefore the level of bilirubin in the baby’s blood will fall rapidly. The transfusion procedure can take several hours, and the baby’s blood will be checked within two hours of the treatment. If the bilirubin levels remain high, it may be necessary to repeat the procedure.

If the medical team caring for your newborn baby fail to spot jaundice and it develops into kernicterus, brain damage can occur, which can have lifelong implications for your child, including:

• Cerebral palsy which affects movement and coordination.
• Learning disabilities which can make it difficult to live independently.
• Hearing loss ranging from mild to severe.
• Uncontrollable twitching throughout the body.
• Dental development issues such as misshapen or discoloured teeth which are prone to decay.
• Problems with eye movements such as a tendency to gaze upwards or from side to side

Not all children who have suffered brain damage as a result of kernicterus will display the same symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms will vary depending on the extent of the brain damage. Early diagnosis and intervention may significantly reduce any brain damage or prevent it entirely. If your child has developed kernicterus and subsequent brain damage due to the negligent treatment of their newborn jaundice, you may have a case for claiming medical negligence compensation. Our expert team is on hand to discuss your case and answer any questions you may have.