A severe birth injury can affect every aspect of a child’s life going forward. Sometimes, the signs and symptoms of a birth injury may appear shortly after a child’s birth. At other times, these signs may not appear until many months or years later. If you notice any of these symptoms as your child is growing or developing, you should contact a medical provider for help right away. Common symptoms of birth injuries that parents may notice early on in their child’s life include low heart rate or blood pressure, fractures to the infant’s skull, Erb’s palsy, low oxygen levels, difficulty with swallowing or eating/drinking, extensive drooling, light sensitivity, and muscle looseness or stiffness. If you notice any of these early symptoms early in your child’s life, they may indicate brain damage. Consequently, you should consult with a medical provider promptly to obtain a diagnosis. By taking prompt action early in your child’s life, you increase the likelihood that your child can recover from their injuries. In addition to the early symptoms of birth injuries, other symptoms may occur between one and two years old. Those symptoms can include: Trouble with coordination, including delays in crawling or walking Trouble standing without the assistance of an adult Intellectual problems, including difficulty with memory Troubling with eating and drinking Difficulty with fine motor skills, including the use of cups, forks, and spoons Inability to use certain body parts Lack of response to loud noises Finally, symptoms of birth injuries that may not occur until the child reaches elementary-school age include autism spectrum disorder, stiff muscles, difficulty speaking in complete sentences and overall delays in language development, inability to speak or hear, delays in motor skill development, and difficulty drinking, eating, or dressing, without the assistance of an adult. If you notice any of these symptoms in your child, you should consult with a healthcare provider as quickly as possible. You should also talk with a skilled birth injury attorney right away. Your lawyer can investigate if a birth injury likely occurred due to a medical provider’s negligence. If so, your attorney can help you recover the fair monetary damages you and your child deserve.