P10: Intracranial laceration and haemorrhage due to birth injury

P10.1: Cerebral haemorrhage due to birth injury

The brain is made up of several areas. For example, the cerebrum is used to think and plan actions. In the cerebellum, movements are initialized and coordinated. The brain stem is responsible for various unconscious tasks such as breathing. The brain stem passes into the spinal cord.

If there are difficulties during the birth a forceps or suction cup may sometimes need to be used. This can cause bleeding in the child's brain. Bleeding can also occur if the child is born from an unusual position in the womb. However, bleeding in the brain can also occur with a Caesarean or a normal birth.

If a blood vessel gets damaged, blood will come out. The blood has accumulated in the brain. There can be a variety of indications of bleeding in the child. For example, there may be breathing problems or lethargy. Certain bodily functions may be affected. Movements may be affected, for example. The bleeding may also cause the child to have seizures.