Erb’s Palsy

What Is Erb’s Palsy?

Erb’s palsy, also called brachial plexus birth palsy or Erb-Duchenne palsy, is a condition usually caused by nerve damage during childbirth.

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the shoulders, arms, and hands. Pulling or overstretching these nerves can cause Erb’s palsy.

Erb’s palsy commonly occurs during difficult deliveries. Symptoms can range from mild weakness to complete paralysis of the affected arm. While some cases resolve on their own, others may require physical therapy, surgery, or long-term care to restore function and mobility.

Treating Erb’s palsy can be expensive, with medical bills adding up quickly and unexpectedly. Families may also face expenses for adaptive equipment and lost wages due to caregiving responsibilities.

The Birth Injury Justice Center works with Erb’s palsy lawyers who have helped families nationwide recover over $1 billion from birth injury lawsuits, including those involving Erb’s palsy.

Find out if a top birth injury attorney can help you seek the financial compensation and justice your family deserves.

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How Common Is Erb’s Palsy?

Erb’s palsy in newborns occurs in approximately 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 live births, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

It’s the most common among all brachial plexus injuries, typically involving damage to the upper nerves of the brachial plexus.

Erb’s palsy is more common in deliveries involving risk factors like shoulder dystocia. This medical emergency occurs when a baby’s shoulders become lodged behind the mother’s pubic bone.

Is Erb’s Palsy Preventable?

In many cases, Erb’s palsy is preventable with proper care during labor and delivery. When medical professionals use too much force, they can stretch or injure the brachial plexus nerves.

Cesarean sections (C-sections) reduce some risks, but they do not completely prevent brachial plexus injuries. Even with the best practices, some injuries may occur due to factors beyond anyone’s control.

Erb’s Palsy Causes

The main cause of Erb’s palsy in babies is difficult deliveries, often due to medical negligence. Factors like shoulder dystocia, high birth weight, and prolonged labor can increase the risk.

By using proper delivery techniques and monitoring the mother and baby during labor, medical professionals can reduce the risk of these injuries.

Can Medical Negligence Cause Erb’s Palsy?

Yes, medical malpractice can lead to preventable cases of Erb’s palsy. When health care providers apply excessive force or fail to address delivery complications safely, they risk causing brachial plexus nerve damage.

If your child has Erb’s palsy, and you suspect it may be due to medical negligence, we may be able to help.

Money from an Erb’s palsy lawsuit can mean your child getting the best possible care.

Get a free case review right now to see if you may qualify.

Types of Erb’s Palsy

There are several types of Erb’s palsy injuries. The type of brachial plexus injury a child develops can depend on the severity of damage to the nerve network.

Learn more about the common types of Erb’s palsy below.

Neuropraxia

This is the most common type of Erb’s palsy involving nerves that are stretched but not torn, causing a stinging or burning sensation. Neuropraxias generally heal on their own in 3 months or less.

Neuroma

More severe than neuropraxias, neuromas occur when scar tissue develops as nerves heal from an initial tear. This places pressure on healthy nerves. Most children with neuromas will only partially recover.

Rupture

This injury occurs when the nerve is torn. This type of injury does not heal on its own and generally requires nerve graft surgery to put damaged nerves back together.

Avulsion

This is the most severe brachial plexus injury and occurs when the nerve roots are completely torn from the spinal cord, resulting in permanent muscle weakness or paralysis. Surgery can help repair torn nerves but cannot reattach them to the spinal cord.

Other Types of Brachial Plexus Injuries

There are other types of brachial plexus injuries besides Erb’s palsy that are less common. However, they often cause similar symptoms, like weakness or paralysis in the arm, and may benefit from the same treatment approaches, including physical therapy and surgery.

Other types of brachial plexus injuries include:

• Horner’s syndrome: This causes drooping eyelid (ptosis), smaller pupil (miosis), and reduced sweating (anhidrosis) on one side of the face.
• Klumpke’s palsy: This type of injury involves nerve damage in the lower arm and affects mobility in the hand and wrist.
• Total brachial plexus palsy: This condition involves nerve damage in both the lower and upper arm and causes complete paralysis in the affected limb.

Since these conditions have symptoms similar to those of Erb’s palsy, getting an accurate diagnosis from a doctor is crucial for effective treatment.

Erb’s Palsy Symptoms

There are several common signs and symptoms of Erb’s palsy. They can vary depending on how damaged the brachial plexus nerves are.

Common signs of Erb’s palsy include:

• Lack of muscular or nerve development in the arm or hand
• Limp arm, wrist, or hand
• Limited ability to grasp objects or relying on one hand only
• Muscle weakness in one arm
• Numbness or tingling in the shoulder, arm, or hand
• Partial or complete paralysis of the arm
• Waiter’s tip (arm hangs by the side with wrist rotated inward)

Early recognition of these symptoms is essential for timely diagnosis and treatment. If your baby is showing any of these symptoms, contact a health care professional for an evaluation.

How Do You Diagnose Erb’s Palsy?

If you suspect your child has Erb’s palsy, you should consult your doctor or pediatrician. Only a medical expert can accurately make an Erb’s palsy diagnosis.

A doctor will conduct several examinations and imaging tests to diagnose brachial plexus palsy.

Common Erb’s palsy assessment tests include:

• CT (computed tomography) scan: This scan takes images from several angles of the body to search for damage to soft tissues, such as the brachial plexus.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan: This scan takes images of the internal tissues in the body to look for brachial plexus nerve damage.
• Nerve conduction study: This physical test measures the speed of electrical impulses traveling through the brachial plexus nerves using electrodes.
• Physical examination: Doctors will look for any physical signs of nerve damage, such as muscle weakness and limited mobility of the arm, shoulder, wrist, or hand.

Your child’s doctor may use a combination of these tests to make an accurate diagnosis of Erb’s palsy.

“After a difficult delivery or shoulder dystocia, a nurse should quickly assess movement in the affected arm, comparing it to the unaffected side.”

— Katie Lavender, RN, Labor & Delivery

This immediate assessment helps identify potential nerve damage and ensures that appropriate care begins as soon as possible. Prompt intervention can significantly improve outcomes for children with Erb’s palsy.

Erb’s Palsy Prognosis

Once your child has been diagnosed, your doctor will give you a prognosis. An Erb’s palsy prognosis is the expected outlook of the condition. Thankfully, the overall outlook for brachial plexus palsy is generally very good.

With prompt and proper therapy, mild cases of Erb’s palsy heal within a few months. However, severe cases may never fully heal, even with treatments like therapy and surgery.

Getting a prompt diagnosis is the best way to ensure your child can get effective treatment.

If you have questions about your child’s Erb’s palsy, we have on-staff registered nurses here to help. Connect with a nurse now — there’s no cost or obligation.

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Erb’s Palsy Treatment

Treatment for Erb’s palsy focuses on improving mobility and strength in the affected arm. Mild cases of stretched nerves may only require physical therapy.

More severe cases of torn nerves may need intensive treatment and surgery to help the child regain mobility of their arm, hand, or shoulder.

With proper treatment, most babies with Erb’s palsy will recover completely within 12 months of age.

Erb’s palsy treatment in newborns often starts with physical therapy to prevent stiffness and encourage nerve recovery.

For older children, Erb’s palsy therapy may begin as soon as symptoms are identified to improve outcomes. Early intervention plays a crucial role in recovery.

Learn more about the most common types of Erb’s palsy treatment below.

Physical Therapy

Erb’s palsy physical therapy helps children improve strength, range of motion, and overall mobility. It is often one of the first steps in treatment to prevent joint stiffness and maintain muscle health.

These are 3 common elements of physical therapy for Erb’s palsy:

1. Gentle stretching exercises: Preventing joint stiffness and maintaining flexibility
2. Range of motion activities: Encouraging movement in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist
3. Strength-building techniques: Improving muscle tone and function in affected arm

Physical therapy helps children regain movement and strength, supporting long-term recovery and improved arm function.

Occupational Therapy

Erb’s palsy occupational therapy focuses on helping children with Erb’s palsy develop fine motor skills, improve arm function, and perform daily tasks more independently.

Occupational therapists work with families to create tailored exercises and activities that support a child’s development.

Occupational therapy provides children with the tools they need to manage daily activities and build independence.

Erb’s Palsy Surgery

Surgery for Erb’s palsy can repair damage to brachial plexus nerves that will not heal on their own, such as when there is a nerve tear. It is typically only used if your child does not show improvement despite other treatment options.

Nerve or tendon transfers remove healthy nerves from another part of the body to repair damaged brachial plexus nerves. Doctors may even decide to completely remove severely damaged nerve fibers that cannot be repaired.

Get Legal Help for Your Child’s Erb’s Palsy

Many cases of Erb’s palsy are caused by medical mistakes during delivery. Medical professionals who cause preventable birth injuries should be held accountable for their actions.

Your family should not be responsible for paying for your child’s Erb’s palsy treatment if the injury was preventable.

If medical negligence caused your child’s Erb’s palsy, you may be eligible for financial compensation. This money can help pay for treatments like Erb’s palsy surgery and therapy.

Our legal partners have secured over $1 billion for families affected by birth injuries like Erb’s palsy. We can help families in all 50 states and may be able to help your family, too.

Call (800) 914-1562 right now or get a free case review to see if you may qualify for compensation.