New York Low APGAR Score

An APGAR score is an assessment given to newborns within the first minute after birth to quickly evaluate their general physical condition, and to help determine if the baby needs immediate special medical attention. The APGAR score tests for Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration. A low APGAR score may indicate that your baby suffered a birth injury and needs treatment or monitoring. If your baby was given a low APGAR score and is being treated for an injury, it is important that you contact an experienced New York low APGAR score lawyer who can review your medical records to determine if negligence contributed to your child’s condition.

Determination of APGAR score

An APGAR score assessment measures appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration. Each category is measured on a scale of 0-2 with 2 being the best score. Babies rarely score 10. A score of 8 is considered good. If the score is below 8, the baby needs special assistance, while if the score is below 5, the baby needs immediate assistance. If the baby has a very low score, treatment may be given and the baby reassessed after 5 minutes. In some cases the immediate treatment causes the score to rise significantly. Failure of the medical staff to treat the baby immediately, may cause the baby’s medical problems to worsen.

• Appearance: Skin color. A baby who is blue will receive a score of 0, while a baby that is pink will receive a score of 2.
• Pulse: Heart rate. A baby with no heartbeat will receive a score of 0, while a baby with a heart rate that is greater than 100 will receive a score of 2.
• Grimace response: Reflexes. A baby with no response will receive a score of 0, while a baby who cries will receive a score of 2.
• Activity: Muscle tone. A baby who is limp will receive a score of 0, while a baby with active motion will receive a score of 2.
• Respiration: Breathing rate and effort. A baby who is not breathing will receive a score of 0, while a baby who is crying will receive a score of 2.

Meaning of a low APGAR score

As New York low APGAR score attorneys with decades of experience, we know that if your baby has a low APGAR score, it is important for you understand why. Often there is a direction correlation to the care you and your baby received during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Common problems that can contribute to a low APGAR score include:

• Oxygen deprivation
• Umbilical cord problems
• Placenta problems
• Meconium aspiration
• Prematurity

A determination should be made to find out if negligence contributed to complications such as oxygen deprivation which led to a injury and a low APGAR score.

Pursuing damages

Babies with low APGAR scores often have serious medical problems. Complications that are often associated with low APGAR scores include cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, developmental delays, paralysis, seizure disorders, and mental retardation. As a low APGAR score attorney in New York will explain, if your doctor’s negligence was the reason that your child suffered an injury and had a low APGAR score, you have the right to demand compensation through a malpractice lawsuit.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If your child received a low APGAR score, you deserve to know what happened. Sadly, oftentimes a low APGAR score is the result of preventable injuries caused by medical negligence. If you believe that your child’s injury was due to your doctor’s negligence, it is important that you are represented by a skilled low APGAR score attorney serving New York who has the legal knowledge and resources to ensure that your legal rights are protected. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has can help. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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