How Do I Know If My Baby Is Suffering a Birth Injury?

 Posted on September 30, 2026 in Birth Injuries

Some birth injuries are obvious immediately. Others don’t show up until much later.

Identifying when something has gone wrong in the first place can be difficult. Figuring out whether an injury came from a medical complication or a provider’s negligence can be even harder, especially while caring for a newborn.

In these cases, it helps to have someone familiar with common birth injury malpractice cases. If you’re worried your baby was hurt during birth in 2026, a Rolling Meadows, IL birth injury lawyer can help.

What Are the Signs of a Birth Injury in a Newborn Baby?

Some signs can point to a possible birth injury, but they can also have other causes. Signs to watch for can include:

• Seizures or unusual jerking movements
• Trouble breathing or a need for oxygen after birth
• An arm that hangs limp or doesn’t move as much as the other
• Unusual swelling, bruising, or a soft bulge on the head
• Trouble feeding or swallowing
• Muscles that seem very stiff or very floppy

A weak or limp arm can be a sign of a brachial plexus injury, which affects the nerves running from the neck to the arm. This can happen during a difficult delivery if the baby’s nerves are stretched or injured.

It is important to note that not every bruise or bump is a cause for concern. Some swelling of the head is common after a vaginal birth and typically goes away on its own.

What Signs of a Birth Injury Can Show Up Later?

Some conditions linked to brain development or injury may not become clear until a baby is older. Cerebral palsy is one example. It can result from abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain. In a small number of cases, a lack of oxygen during birth is the cause.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists possible signs of cerebral palsy in babies younger than six months. These include a head that lags when you pick your baby up from lying on their back. Your baby may feel stiff or floppy, or their legs may stiffen and cross when you lift them.

Babies who are delayed in reaching developmental milestones may need an evaluation. This can include delays in rolling over, sitting up, or holding their head steady. Babies may also favor one hand very early. These signs can also appear in children without a birth injury, so having a doctor’s evaluation is important.

Was My Baby’s Birth Injury Caused by Medical Malpractice in Illinois?

Not every birth injury is someone’s fault. Some happen even when doctors and nurses do everything right. A birth injury can involve medical malpractice if a provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that failure caused harm to the baby. If another competent, similarly trained practitioner would have made different decisions to avoid harm to the baby, it’s possible that a doctor has committed malpractice.

You have the right to ask for your records and your baby’s records from the hospital. A lawyer can have them reviewed by medical professionals to see whether the care met accepted standards.

How Long Do You Have to File a Birth Injury Claim in Illinois?

Illinois gives children injured by medical malpractice more time than adults. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, a claim on behalf of a child generally has to be filed within eight years of the act that caused the injury. It can’t be filed after the child’s 22nd birthday.

Call a Palatine, IL Birth Injury Lawyer Today

If your baby is showing signs of a birth injury, consult a physician and speak to a personal injury lawyer with experience in malpractice. A doctor can evaluate your baby’s health, and a lawyer can help you understand whether you have a legal case.

Our Rolling Meadows, IL medical malpractice attorneys are local attorneys who value the communities and clients we serve. Our team has many decades of combined experience and has recovered millions of dollars in successful verdicts for injured clients.

We offer free consultations. Call Newland & Newland, LLP at 847-797-8000 today.