Not many people may have heard of Erb's palsy, but this injury to newborns can be a horrible weight and burden on the families of those affected. What makes it even harder to deal with is the fact that in most cases Erb's palsy was due to faulty tool use or faulty technique on behalf of the medical team. In other words, it shouldn't have happened, and it should have been completely preventable.
Erb's palsy is when a special branch of nerves in the shoulder are injured. This usually takes place during especially difficult or rough childbirth, and, for the sake of the injured child, it is critical to make the correct diagnosis as quickly as possible. The sooner proper a diagnosis can be made, the sooner treatment can begin to help rehabilitate the damaged limb.
What Are the Signs of Erb's Palsy?
There are several different signs to look for if you're worried about Erb's palsy. Most of these will be pretty easy to spot, even within the first few days after birth. You can usually tell when a baby is fully healthy versus when something is a little bit off. The main symptoms of Erb's palsy are:- Obvious weakness in the affected shoulder or arm
- A loss of feeling in the arm that is affected
- Partial paralysis of one arm
- Full paralysis of one arm