Craniosynotosis Side Effects Birth Defect. Craniosynostosis is a birth (congenital) defect causing one or more sutures (connections that separate individual skull bones) on a baby’s head to close earlier than normal. The early closing of a suture leads to an abnormally shaped head. If your child was born with Craniosynostosis, which has been associated with […]
Craniosynotosis Side Effects Birth Defect. Craniosynostosis is a birth (congenital) defect causing one or more sutures (connections that separate individual skull bones) on a baby’s head to close earlier than normal. The early closing of a suture leads to an abnormally shaped head. If your child was born with Craniosynostosis, which has been associated with certain medications taken during pregnancy, the birth defect attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Parker Waichman LLP LLp would like to speak to you about your legal rights.
These medications include the fertility drug Clomid, as well as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, and other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, either right before or during pregnancy. If your child suffers from craniosynostosis that may be the result of a medication, you may be entitled to compensation.
Craniosynostosis is a devastating birth defect that can cause a baby to suffer increased intracranial pressure and other serious complications. If your baby’s craniosynostosis was caused by a drug like Clomid, or an antidepressant such as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, or Lexapro, you can make sure the pharmaceutical company responsible is held accountable. The defective drug lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP, LLP understand how traumatic craniosynostosis can be, and we will do everything possible to get retribution for those harmed by negligent drug companies. The craniosynostosis lawyers at our firm offer free lawsuit consultations to the victims of Clomid and SSRI antidepressants. To learn how they can help your family, we urge you to contact us today by completing our online form or calling us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
Craniosynostosis occurs when the cranial sutures of the skull close too early in fetal development. As a result of this closure, the brain is not able to grow properly and may become constricted. The premature closure of a single suture restricts the growth in that part of the skull and promotes growth in other parts of the skull where sutures remain open. This results in an abnormal shape of the skull, but does not prevent the brain from expanding to a normal volume. However, when many sutures close prematurely, the skull cannot expand to accommodate the growing brain, which leads to increased pressure within the skull and impaired development of the brain.
Complications from craniosynostosis can include:
Mild cases of craniosynostosis — those that involve only one suture and no underlying syndrome — may require no treatment. In those cases, abnormalities of the skull may become less obvious as a child grows and develops more hair. In more severe cases, infants must undergo surgery to relieve pressure on the brain and create room for new brain growth. Many children will require follow-up visits with their doctor after surgery to monitor head growth and check for increased intracranial pressure.
Craniosynostosis can have a hereditary link, and it can be caused with metabolic diseases, such as rickets or an overactive thyroid. However, it has also been associated with the use of certain drugs. For example, in a study of nearly 9,000 infants, researchers from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, discovered that first trimester exposure to an SSRI increased the risk of craniosynostosis nearly twofold. In 2007, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) confirmed these findings, stating that use of SSRIs during pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of craniosynostosis.
In regard to Clomid, Reefhuis, et al. (2003) found a 280% increased risk of craniosynostosis in children born to women taking the drug before or during pregnancy.
If your baby was born with craniosynostosis, and you believe a drug such as Clomid or an SSRI antidepressant could be to blame, you have valuable legal rights. To learn how our craniosynostosis lawyers can help you and your family, please fill out our online form, or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529) today.