Learn about Symptoms, Brain Injury Risks, and Medical Malpractice
When blood flow to part of a baby’s brain is blocked, or when bleeding occurs in or around the brain, it can trigger a stroke. A serious medical emergency, stroke, can happen before birth, during delivery, or within the first month of life.
A brain aneurysm is a weak or bulging area in a blood vessel; if it leaks or ruptures, it can cause bleeding in the brain and a hemorrhagic stroke.
It’s difficult to detect these conditions in newborns because babies cannot explain how they feel, and symptoms may overlap with other conditions. An MRI is often needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Failure to diagnose a newborn stroke or aneurysm can be dangerous because the baby may lose precious time for monitoring, seizure control, brain imaging, specialist care, and treatment of the underlying cause.
Symptoms of Stroke or Aneurysm in Newborns
Symptoms of newborn stroke or aneurysm can vary based on the part of the brain affected, whether the problem involves blocked blood flow or bleeding, and whether the baby is premature or full-term. Some newborns have obvious seizures, but others may only show signs of feeding problems, abnormal movement, breathing changes, or unusual sleepiness.
Possible symptoms may include:
- Seizures, including repeated twitching of the face, arm, or leg.
- Jerking movements on one side of the body.
- Stiffness, limpness, or abnormal muscle tone.
- Weakness on one side of the body.
- Poor feeding or trouble sucking.
- Extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking.
- Irritability or a high-pitched cry.
- Breathing problems or pauses in breathing.
- Abnormal eye movements.
- Bulging soft spot on the head.
- Vomiting.
- Pale, blue, or gray skin color.
- Low oxygen levels.
- Poor reflexes.
- Abnormal movements that may be mistaken for normal newborn twitching.
- Delayed milestones are noticed later in infancy.
- Early hand preference, such as using one hand much more than the other before age 1.
Neonatal seizures often happen due to an underlying brain or body problem. That may include hypoxia-ischemia, stroke, hemorrhage, infection, metabolic problems, or structural brain abnormalities. Parents should also be aware that some seizure activity in newborns may be clinically silent, meaning it may not always be obvious without proper monitoring.
Injuries Caused by Failed or Delayed Diagnosis
Because both stroke and aneurysm involve injury to the brain, the risk of injury is serious. If part of the brain is not getting blood flow, brain cells can suffer major damage. If there’s bleeding in or around the brain, the pressure and irritation can damage brain tissue.
These can be injuries that develop over time and include cerebral palsy, which can cause weakness or movement problems on one side of the body. Other serious injuries are epilepsy, developmental delays, speech and language problems, feeding difficulties, vision problems, learning problems, or behavioral challenges.
Long-term effects of perinatal stroke may feature one-sided weakness, epilepsy, speech and language difficulties, visual problems, learning and memory problems, and behavior changes.
The impact is different depending on the child, the severity of the injury, and how quickly it was treated. Although some children make progress with therapy and medical care, others may require years of treatment. That can involve physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, seizure management, assistive devices, special education support, and regular specialist visits.
Possible Medical Malpractice That Can Lead to Failure to Diagnose
While some newborn strokes or aneurysms are unavoidable, medical staff have a duty to notice the warning signs so that treatment can begin as soon as possible. Failure to follow the accepted standards of care can be considered medical malpractice.
Examples of possible malpractice may include:
- Failing to recognize newborn seizures.
- Dismissing repeated twitching, jerking, or abnormal movements as normal newborn behavior.
- Failing to respond to one-sided weakness, abnormal tone, or poor feeding.
- Failing to order an EEG when seizures are suspected.
- Failing to order brain imaging, such as MRI or CT, when symptoms suggest stroke or bleeding.
- Delaying evaluation after abnormal neurological signs.
- Failing to monitor a high-risk newborn closely after a difficult delivery.
- Failing to diagnose or treat an infection may increase the risk of brain injury.
- Failing to recognize signs of brain bleeding or increased pressure in the brain.
- Failing to evaluate clotting problems or blood disorders when indicated.
- Failing to consult neonatology, pediatric neurology, neurosurgery, or hematology when needed.
- Failing to transfer the baby to a NICU or children’s hospital with the right specialists.
- Failing to properly communicate abnormal symptoms, test results, or changes in condition.
- Discharging a newborn too soon without addressing concerning neurological signs.
- Failing to give parents clear instructions about warning signs after discharge.
These failures can make a huge difference in the severity of the injuries. Early recognition of symptoms helps providers control seizures, diagnose bleeding or blocked blood flow, treat infection or clotting problems, manage breathing and oxygen levels, and connect the baby with specialists.
Failure to Diagnose Stroke or Aneurysm in Newborns FAQs
Can a newborn have a brain aneurysm?
Yes. However, they are very rare, and as a result, doctors may first look for other causes of symptoms, such as infection, bleeding, oxygen deprivation, or metabolic problems. That being said, if a baby has signs of brain bleeding or unexplained neurological problems, doctors may need to consider vessel imaging to look for an aneurysm or vascular malformation.
A brain aneurysm is a weak or bulging part of a blood vessel. When the vessel ruptures, it can cause bleeding in or around the brain, which may trigger seizures, brain swelling, stroke, and other serious complications.
How do doctors diagnose stroke in a newborn?
Newborn stroke is typically diagnosed through brain imaging and neurological evaluation. An MRI is often most useful because it can show areas of brain injury more clearly than many other tests. CT scans, cranial ultrasound, EEG monitoring, blood tests, clotting studies, infection testing, and heart testing may also be used.
If a blood vessel problem or aneurysm is suspected, doctors may order MRA, CTA, or angiography. Understanding the baby’s symptoms, stability, and medical history is critical for determining the correct test. A delayed or incomplete workup can cause a serious condition to be missed.
Why are newborn strokes sometimes missed?
Strokes in newborns are difficult to diagnose in large part because they do not display the same symptoms as adults. Babies cannot communicate when they have a headache, weakness, vision loss, or confusion. The symptoms are much more subtle and can be confused with symptoms of other injuries or conditions.
Warning signs can include twitching, feeding problems, sleepiness, abnormal tone, or breathing changes. These symptoms may present after birth or once the baby has been discharged from the hospital.
Is failure to diagnose a newborn stroke always medical malpractice?
No. A missed or delayed diagnosis is not automatically malpractice. Newborn stroke can be difficult to detect, and some babies have mild or unclear symptoms at first. However, when doctors or nurses fail to respond to clear warning signs, ignore abnormal movements, delay imaging, fail to monitor seizures, or discharge a baby despite concerning symptoms, it may be considered medical malpractice.
The key question is whether the medical team acted reasonably based on what they knew or should have known at the time. A legal and medical review can help answer that question and help you understand your options moving forward.
What medical mistakes can lead to failure to diagnose a stroke or aneurysm?
Possible mistakes include failing to recognize seizures, failing to order an MRI or CT scan, failing to use EEG monitoring, failing to consult specialists, or failing to transfer the baby to a higher-level NICU. Other errors may include ignoring one-sided twitching, abnormal tone, poor feeding, breathing problems, or signs of brain bleeding.
Negligence may also occur when providers fail to diagnose infection, clotting disorders, heart problems, or oxygen-related injuries that can contribute to brain damage. Because every newborn’s situation is different, these issues must be reviewed carefully.
Can a baby recover from a newborn stroke?
Some babies recover well, especially with early diagnosis, seizure control, therapy, and close follow-up. Others may have long-term challenges. Recovery largely depends on the type of stroke, which part of the brain is affected, the size of the injury, and whether the baby had other problems, such as infection, bleeding, or oxygen deprivation, as those can lead to other injuries.
Some children who suffer a stroke may need physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, seizure medication, developmental services, or special education support as they get older. Even if a baby looks better after the hospital stay, regular follow-up care is important because some problems may not become clear until the child grows.
Why should parents contact Weisser Law if they suspect medical malpractice played a role?
Parents who believe their baby’s stroke, aneurysm, or brain injury was missed by medical staff should contact Weisser Law right away. Medical malpractice cases are complex and require a deep understanding of the law and of what’s expected of healthcare professionals.
With decades of experience, Weisser Law knows precisely how to review medical records, consult with qualified experts, and determine whether delays or errors caused avoidable harm. Weisser Law can also help families pursue compensation for medical bills, future care, therapy, pain and suffering, and their child’s long-term needs.
Weisser Law offers free, confidential consultations where you won’t pay until we win your case.