What Is Erb’s Palsy?
Also called brachial plexus palsy or Klumpke's Palsy, Erb’s palsy is a type of brachial plexus injury that affects the complex bundle of nerves between the neck and shoulders (the brachial plexus) and causes weakness in the shoulder and arm muscles.
Simply put:
“Brachial plexus palsy is weakness or paralysis in parts of the arm as a result of significant injury to the brachial plexus, which can happen during childbirth.”
Most children make a full recovery within 1 to 3 months, but up to 25% of children will have ongoing problems with the affected arm. Some children who do not recover in 3 to 6 months need surgery to mitigate the nerve damage and regain function.
The following four types of nerve damage can result in any combination in Erb's palsy cases:
- Neurapraxia occurs when the nerves are stretched or strained during delivery but not torn, resulting in mild damage that generally heals on its own within a few months.
- Neuroma is a more severe stretching of the nerves which damages the actual fibers of the baby's nerves. Damage of this type typically does not heal completely, resulting in scar tissue that can pinch nearby healthy nerves.
- Ruptures involve an actual tear of nerve fibers. Torn nerves cannot heal and require surgery to reconstruct the nerve fiber using grafted tissue.
- Avulsions are the most severe type of nerve damage, involving the complete detachment of nerve fibers from the spinal cord. Severed nerves cannot be reattached and result in complete paralysis of the affected area. If your child does not heal, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact our Erb’s palsy lawyers in Jackson, MS for more information.
