Medical Errors in Children - Miami Medical Malpractice Lawyer: Sean M. Cleary

Child Injury Following Medical Malpractice in Miami

While also common in adults, medical errors in children can have serious health consequences. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics revealed that problems due to medication occurred in 11% of children who were in the hospital, as well as that 22% of them were preventable.

Every 8 minutes, a child is injured by the wrong medication. Similarly, children are the victims of diagnostic errors, incorrect procedures, and preventable infections. Out of the total number of medical errors occurring in children, 50% are preventable. Medical mistakes are a more significant threat to children than to adults, as they are physically small and their organs and immune system are still developing.

Child Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle & Investigate in Miami & Florida

Child injuries are especially troubling because they can affect a child for life, robbing them of a healthy future and many opportunities. When your child is injured by medical malpractice, you will need strong legal expertise. Our law firm represents parents of children who suffered severe or life-altering injuries due to medical negligence. With over 20 years of legal experience, our attorney will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible results for your injured child.

Medical professionals should be held accountable when they fail to follow the correct procedure and your child ends up injured as a result of medical negligence. The following are some of the most common types of pediatric malpractice cases we handle:

• Delay in surgical treatment: There are numerous situations when a child needs surgery immediately, as they might even lose their life if proper medical care is not taken as soon as possible. Unfortunately, a delay in surgical treatment can result in severe injury for the child and may render them disabled or struggling with terrible health issues.
• Failure to diagnose sepsis: Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition brought on by infection occurring anywhere in the body, affects children quite often. If medical professionals fail to recognize the symptoms of sepsis, which include a rapid pulse, fever, nausea, diarrhea, and a high breathing rate, the child will inevitably lose their life, as they will experience septic shock.
• Prescribing the wrong medication: If a child is taking the wrong medication for their condition, not only will they not heal, but their health may further deteriorate, leading to serious problems over time. Additionally, if the prescribed medication is age-inappropriate, the child may experience other symptoms, such as allergic reactions or even organ failure. Therefore, pediatricians must be very careful when evaluating the health of a child to ensure they are receiving the correct treatment for their condition.
• Misdiagnosis: Also frequent in adults, misdiagnosis may result in the child receiving unsuitable treatment, medication, and health care. This way, their actual condition will remain untreated, which may lead to serious health complications.
• Failure to recognize cancer: Because cancer is wrongly associated only with adults, medical professionals tend to overlook the possibility of a child suffering from a malignant disease, which may be fatal to the victim. Most cancers progress very rapidly, which ends up gradually deteriorating the individual’s health and ability to function normally. According to medical research, the most common malignant diseases which affect children are leukemia, neuroblastoma, lymphoma, as well as brain and spinal cord tumors.
• Misinterpretation of test results: Even medical professionals with years of experience may fail to correctly interpret test results, which can, unfortunately, have a great impact on the child’s health. Failure to accurately read test results will unavoidably lead to misdiagnosis and, therefore, to being prescribed the wrong treatment.

Regrettably, medical errors can occur anywhere in the healthcare system. A few examples of health care providers who could be accountable for a child medical error case are:

• Emergency room physicians
• Triage nurses
• Interns and medical students
• Consulting physicians
• Family doctors
• General practitioners
• Doctors at urgent care centers
• Physician assistants
• Lab technicians

Long-Term Effects of Child Medical Malpractice on Survivors and Families

Depending on the medical error which took place, the child may experience the following health issues for the rest of their life, which will also prevent them from enjoying a wide range of opportunities:

• Brain injury
• Vision problems
• Speech impairments
• Cognitive impairments
• Nerve damage
• Poor motor skills
• Fatigue
• A short lifespan
• Paralysis

Undoubtedly, the impact of a medical error that affected a child on their family is tremendous, particularly if the child lost their life following medical negligence. Family members can experience shock, depression, or feelings of guilt, helplessness, and desperation. If the child becomes disabled after a medical error occurs, their parents will start being their caregiver from that moment on.