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Our Texas daycare injury lawyers are working to help educate new parents about how infant brain injuries can happen at Texas daycare centers. We have seen firsthand the results of daycare centers cutting safety corners and how this leads to serious injuries that can impact a child’s well-being for the rest of their life as well as affect the entire family.
Medical experts estimate that approximately 1,500 infants suffer from head trauma each year, according to a May 2023 medical article published in the National Library of Medicine. Babies ages 6 to 8 weeks old with colic are at the greatest risk of experiencing brain injuries. This is because the maximum amount of crying peaks during this period of a baby’s life. (To put this in perspective, the American Association of Pediatrics states that it is normal for healthy babies to cry for 1-2 hours.) And, sadly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 200 children are killed each year because of preventable head trauma injuries.
Top Cause of Infant Brain Injuries at Texas Daycare Centers
In Texas daycare centers, unqualified and untrained workers are the primary reason infant brain injuries occur. When caregivers at daycare centers are not properly vetted and trained, children, especially innocent babies, can be seriously hurt.
The primary traits of unqualified workers that place infants at the greatest risk of causing infant brain injuries at Texas daycare centers include:
- Behavioral health problems
- History of domestic violence
- Temperament that is easily frustrated
Learn more about the training and education requirements for Texas daycare workers in this video.
How Infants Experience Brain Injuries at Texas Daycare Centers
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is the most common way infants experience brain injuries at Texas daycare centers. A type of child abuse, the intentional aggressive shaking of a baby creates an exaggerated whiplash motion, similar to what adults experience in serious car accidents. This causes an infant to suffer irreversible neurological injuries.
Loud crying for long periods of time can cause inexperienced Texas daycare workers to become frustrated or even angry, leading to the violent shaking of a baby. Victims of SBS are most commonly between 3 and 8 months old. In addition to brain injuries, infant victims of SBS can suffer rib and other bone fractures.
Tragically, 25% of children who are victims of SBS die because of their injuries.
Falls are the second likeliest causes of infant brain injuries at daycare centers. Most commonly, these incidents happen when inattentive or untrained daycare workers drop a child they are holding or feeding. Unsupervised infants falling from high surfaces such as a changing table or unsecured highchair can also lead to a brain injury.
Lastly, abuse at the hands of caregivers, or even other children, at a daycare center can cause an infant’s brain injuries. With 1,746 daycare abuse and neglect investigations in 2022, Texas is among the states with the highest rates of child abuse. This statistic reinforces the reason why the proper hiring and supervision of childcare workers is imperative in child safety at daycare centers across the Lone Star State.
Symptoms of Infant Brain Injuries
Brain injuries, especially in infant victims, require a keen parental eye since babies cannot clearly communicate their injuries. That is why parental observations of a child’s behavior and mannerisms are key in detecting if something is not right with them.
Here are common symptoms of brain injuries in babies that parents should watch for:
- Abnormally slow and shallow respiration
- Altered level of consciousness
- Bleeding in the eyes
- Breathing problems
- Cardiac arrest
- Change in posture where the head tilts back and the back is more arched than usual
- Coma or unresponsive
- Convulsions or seizures
- Decreased appetite
- Dilated pupils that do not respond to light
- Drowsiness and irritability
- Larger than normal head size
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swelling in the soft spot of an infant’s head
- Vomiting
What to Do If Your Baby Suffered a Brain Injury at a Texas Daycare Center
As we discussed earlier in this article, infant brain injuries are serious and can be life-changing for the child and the whole family. That is why it is important to reach out to our experienced and compassionate Texas daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm if your infant suffered a brain injury while in the care of a local childcare facility.
Your family may have the option to file a claim to hold the daycare responsible for failing to keep your baby safe. Taking this step enables parents like you to get answers and justice. During the process of filing a formal claim or lawsuit, our daycare injury lawyers will put the daycare center on notice to preserve evidence surrounding the incident involving your baby.
By filing a claim, parents may be compensated for the following damages:
- Emotional distress
- Medical expenses, including a child’s ongoing or future medical treatments and therapy
- Pain and suffering
In the tragic event that a baby experiences a fatal injury because of a brain injury sustained at a daycare center, surviving parents may be eligible for compensation to cover:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses incurred prior to a child’s passing away
- Loss of consortium for family members
- Loss of income
- Emotional damages such as pain and suffering
- Other unexpected costly fees
In Texas, you have two years to file a claim to seek compensation, also known as damages, and hold the daycare center accountable for its negligence.
We have also created this free guide with more detailed steps to take after your child sustains a brain injury at a Texas daycare center.
Do you have more questions? Call us at 214-699-4409 or email us at [email protected]. Our experienced Texas daycare injury lawyers will listen and determine the best way to help you and your family move forward.
The Button Law Firm Can Help After an Infant Suffers a Brain Injury at a Daycare Center
Our knowledgeable and compassionate daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm are dedicated to holding daycare centers accountable when an infant suffers a brain injury because of the center’s negligence. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our team at The Button Law Firm is recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.
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