Questions?What Are Intraventricular Hemorrhage Developmental Delays?
Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
is bleeding inside parts of the brain called the ventricles. If blood builds up in the baby’s brain, it can damage blood vessels and tissue, leading to serious complications.
If the brain damage is severe enough, your baby could experience developmental delays in walking, talking, playing, or learning. While some babies recover fully from IVH, others are left with permanent disabilities because the brain damage can lead to conditions like cerebral palsy.
Doctors and hospitals have a duty to deliver babies safely, but sometimes, preventable mistakes are made that lead to intraventricular hemorrhage in newborns. If this condition has impacted your child’s quality of life, you may qualify to file a lawsuit with help from an IVH lawyer.
By taking legal action, many other families have received $1 million or more to cover their child’s treatment costs and improve their overall quality of life.
We work with a network of dedicated birth injury attorneys who are able to help families in all 50 states. Our lawyers have recovered over $1 billion for families affected by IVH developmental delays and other health issues. Get a free case review to learn if we can assist your family.
How Does Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Newborns Cause Delays?
When a baby suffers from IVH, blood leaks into the ventricles of the brain in place of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Mild cases only impact a specific part of the brain called the germinal matrix. In advanced cases, more of the brain tissue is impacted.
Without prompt diagnosis and treatment, the baby’s brain can be permanently damaged. This is why some babies later experience developmental delays related to speech, movement, or learning.
IVH usually affects preterm infants. A big risk factor is being born before 30 weeks of gestation. The blood vessels in their brains are very fragile, meaning they’re more easily damaged. Low birth weight infants are also in danger of IVH.
Can You Prevent IVH and Developmental Delay?
Not all developmental delays linked to IVH are preventable, but in many cases, the risks can be reduced with the right care. Hospitals that follow best practices tend to have lower rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhages and better outcomes.
- Blood pressure instability after birth
- Delayed or improper neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care
- High-risk labor or perinatal complications
- Infection or sepsis
- Lack of prenatal steroids
- Maternal blood pressure
- Oxygen level changes
- Prematurity or extremely low birth weight
- Respiratory distress syndrome
Babies born prematurely should also receive preterm brain imaging to make sure everything is okay, and be very gently handled in the NICU
Health care providers and hospitals are supposed to watch for issues that could lead to IVH and promptly address them. Yet each year, many families like yours have to go through the heartbreak of IVH due to medical malpractice or negligence.
Get a free case review now if you believe that your child’s IVH and related developmental delays could have been prevented. You may qualify for compensation and other resources that can give your child a better quality of life.
IVH Grades, Complications, and Delays
Doctors sort IVH into grades based on the severity of the bleeding and damage to the brain. Grades I–II are mild, with the brain not swelling up, and many babies recover fully. Grades III–IV are more serious. Blood fills or stretches the ventricles, or spreads into brain tissue.
- Cerebral palsy
- Hydrocephalus and brain swelling
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)
- Seizures
All of these conditions can contribute to serious developmental delays. Babies may have difficulty thinking, solving problems, speaking, or controlling their bodies. While treatments may help, in the worst cases, babies are left with permanent impairments.
Does Intraventricular Hemorrhage Cause Developmental Delay in Infants?
In some cases, yes. Certain IVH developmental delays show up in the first few months or even days of life.
- Eyes that don’t follow objects well
- Feeding problems or trouble swallowing
- Low muscle tone or body stiffness
- Poor head control at 3-4 months
- Weak reflexes or slow movement
Even mild signs matter. If you think anything is wrong with your baby, see a doctor who specializes in neurology or pediatrics. The sooner your baby is diagnosed, the faster treatments can start to give them the best quality of life possible.
Does Intraventricular Hemorrhage Cause Developmental Delay in Toddlers?
Toddlers are expected to reach major milestones like walking and talking. However, if your baby suffered fetal intraventricular hemorrhage, they may not meet these milestones or even regress (lose skills they once had).
- Difficulty crawling, walking, or climbing
- No pretend play or little interest in others
- Not talking or only saying a few unclear words
- Poor balance or clumsy movement
- Problems using small items like spoons or blocks
- Trouble following simple directions
It can be very concerning when your child doesn’t reach developmental milestones like these after IVH — but our team is here to support you. We have skilled labor and delivery nurses who can help determine if delays are related to IVH and recommend ways to support your child.
Reach out to our registered nurses for free right now.
Beth has more than 18 years of specialized experience in labor and delivery. She’s available to hear your story and help you figure out the cause of your child’s injury — and what you can do next.
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Call or chat with a caring, experienced nurse right now — we’re standing by to get you help and answers.
Diagnosing Intraventricular Hemorrhage Developmental Delays
Babies often receive a postnatal (after birth) IVH diagnosis through imaging tests like ultrasounds or CT scans. If your baby experienced IVH and a brain injury as a result, make sure to closely monitor how they’re doing as they age.
To track IVH developmental outcomes, providers may use:
- Developmental screening tests
- Follow-up MRIs or cranial ultrasounds at 6-12 months
- Hearing and vision tests
- Neurological exams
If there are any concerns or abnormalities found from these tests, your child’s doctor can recommend specialists to help manage and treat any potential developmental delays.
Treating serious preterm brain injuries and delays from IVH can be expensive. However, you may be able to file an IVH claim to afford the costs and make sure your child gets the support they deserve.
Treating Intraventricular Hemorrhage Developmental Delays
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment for IVH-related delays. Instead, your baby’s health care provider will recommend options depending on which challenges they are experiencing, the extent of the brain damage, and more.
- Adaptive equipment: Helps children with mobility issues move
- Medications: Controls symptoms like seizures and tight muscles
- Occupational therapy: Improves fine motor skills and independence
- Physical therapy: Builds strength, balance, and movement
- Special education: Allows children to learn at their own pace
- Speech therapy: Helps with talking, feeding, and swallowing
How much care your child will need depends on their unique circumstances. Some children could reach key developmental milestones and live normally with different types of therapy if their IVH caused only mild brain damage. However, if complications of intraventricular hemorrhage like cerebral palsy develop, lifelong care may be required.
Get Legal Help for IVH Developmental Delays
Without prompt diagnosis and treatment, IVH can significantly damage your child’s brain and cause devastating complications, including cerebral palsy and developmental delays. While it can be traumatic to know that your child has suffered, it’s also important to stay hopeful.
You may be able to hold negligent health care providers accountable and get IVH compensation to afford your child’s care through a lawsuit. You can use the money from these legal claims in any way you see fit, including paying for therapy, medications, and other treatments.
The Birth Injury Justice Center has dedicated in-network lawyers who help families in all 50 states. Our legal partners have secured over $1 billion to date for families dealing with the long-term effects of IVH.
Call (800) 914-1562 now or fill out our form to find out if we can help your child get the care they deserve for IVH developmental delays.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage Developmental Delay FAQs
Does IVH cause developmental delay?
Yes, IVH can cause developmental delays. If your baby has suffered IVH, it means that internal bleeding has occurred in their brain. This can lead to brain damage and complications that could prevent them from meeting key developmental milestones.
How serious the developmental delays will be depends on how badly IVH damaged your baby’s brain. Each case is unique. If the damage was mild, treatment could help babies meet typical milestones or even recover fully from IVH.
Yet in far too many cases, babies suffer permanent disabilities, experiencing complications like cerebral palsy and never getting to reach key milestones as a result of IVH.
What are the long-term effects of intraventricular hemorrhage?
Potential long-term effects of intraventricular hemorrhage in neonates (newborns) include missing developmental milestones and developing serious conditions as a result of the brain damage like cerebral palsy.
In the worst cases, babies impacted by IVH aren’t able to live independently because their brain has been seriously harmed. They may not be able to walk, talk, or feed themselves. Tragically, some babies even pass away as a result of significant IVH brain damage.
Can intraventricular hemorrhage increase the risk of autism?
Severe cases of IVH could potentially increase the chances of autism as well as cerebral palsy, according to Cureus. Mild IVH cases were not associated with a higher risk of either condition, though.
The authors of the Cureus cohort study noted that earlier detection and treatment of IVH led to better overall health outcomes among babies.
Contact us now if your child is suffering from serious developmental delays or complications as a result of IVH. You may be able to hold health care providers and hospitals accountable, as they have a duty to keep your child safe.
What is the neurodevelopmental outcome in children with intraventricular hemorrhage?
There are many possible outcomes for newborn or neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage. Some babies can recover fully if doctors swiftly step in to diagnose and treat IVH.
However, in the worst cases, babies may suffer from long-term impairments and developmental delays. This can prevent them from living a normal, independent life. While IVH mainly affects preterm neonates (premature infants), any baby could be at risk of serious complications from this condition.
The neonatology team that delivered your child should have understood the dangers and taken steps to prevent this condition, such as quickly using shunts to drain blood and reduce swelling.
Can intraventricular hemorrhage cause cerebral palsy?
Yes, IVH can lead to cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage, and the bleeding from IVH can greatly harm the brain’s blood vessels and tissues.
Get a free case review now if your child may have developed cerebral palsy as a result of IVH. We can recommend the next steps to support your baby and give them the best quality of life possible.
