What is infant cephalohematoma?

Posted in Birth Injuries, Firm News on February 23, 2017

Although you want your baby to be born healthy, sometimes unexpected things happen in the delivery room. One unintended birth injury is infant cephalohematoma.

Infant cephalohematoma is a birth injury caused by blood pooling beneath the skin. According to cerebralpalsysymptoms.com, sometimes blood vessels burst, and a baby’s scalp usually experiences some deformation. There are several reasons this condition might be incurred. Medical staff may cause injuries if they need to use forceps while you are giving birth. Additionally, the position of your baby in the birth canal or a particularly long labor can result in cephalohematoma.

While most cases of cephalohematoma do not result in long term injuries, there can occasionally be risks. If your baby develops anemia or jaundice or has problems with motor skills, you may need to ensure that your child does not have a serious injury. Some babies may experience developmental delays or conditions such as cerebral palsy, even if their case of cephalohematoma did not result in much bruising. If you suspect that your baby’s birth injury has not healed, it is usually best to speak to your pediatrician.

Many babies, however, do not experience long-term complications from this condition. It is a good idea to have medical professionals examine your child closely after birth, as there may sometimes be additional trauma. This is recommended especially if there were unforeseen complications during your baby’s birth or if your baby was born early. Most of the time, though, your child’s brain cells are unharmed by this condition, and the injury usually heals with time.