Brain injuries to children, commonly referred to as traumatic brain injuries, have the potential for causing permanent disability in some instances. A brain injury medically is defined as an impairment of or damage to a structure in the brain or more generally to brain function. Brain injuries to a child can occur during the birthing process.

They can also occur throughout a child’s life for various reasons. When a brain injury occurs during the birthing process, the cause typically is either lack of oxygen or trauma. Outside of the birthing process, the primary causes of a brain injury to a child include trauma of some sort. Brain-injury causing trauma includes accidental incidents like falling or what is known as deceleration injury. An example of such an injury is when a car stops very suddenly, causing what sometimes is called whiplash.

There are instances in which traumatic brain injury is the result of something intentional, like shaken baby syndrome. In some cases, brain injuries to children prove to be mild or moderate, and recovery is to be expected. However, there are many more severe child brain injury cases that result in permanent and even severe disability for a lifetime.

An alarming number of children are burn victims every year. Approximately 250,000 children require medical attention for burns annually. Of this number, about 15,000 individuals 17-years-old or younger are admitted to the hospital for burns. Sadly, approximately 1,100 children die each year as a result of burn injuries. The most significant portion of burn cases involving children is the result of scalding. Each year, about 200,000 children are injured in scalding accidents.

The bulk of scalding burn cases involve spilled food and beverages. Other types of incidents that are included in the scalding burn category include contact with very hot water as well as heaters, stoves, and irons. About 50,000 children are injured or die in fires and burns from blazes. Burns can have lifelong implications. A person burned as a child can suffer disfigurement. In addition, there are cases in which burns are so severe they result in permanent disabilities of different types.

Medical malpractice is defined as an incident in which a doctor, hospital, or other healthcare professional causes an injury to a patient as the result of a negligent act or omission. The most common types of errors or omissions that can give rise to medical malpractice include misdiagnosis or an untimely one. Other more common errors that can give rise to medical malpractice include errors in the care and treatment of a patient, errors aftercare, as well as mistakes made in the health or patient management process.

Medical malpractice can also occur when mistakes are made in regard to medication. In some cases, when a child is the victim of medical malpractice, that young person can recover from the injury. On the other hand, there are innumerable cases annually that result in permanent injuries and lifelong disabilities. In addition, thousands of medical errors or omissions result in the death of children annually.

Child physical abuse is doing something or failing to do something that results in a child suffering some sort of physical harm. In addition to physical child abuse, there are cases in which children suffer emotional or sexual abuse. In addition, the neglect of a child or not providing for a child’s basic needs oftentimes is classified as a form of physical abuse. Nearly 8 million children are reported as victims of abuse annually. The belief is that many cases of child physical abuse are unknown because this type of abuse is significantly underreported.

Physical child abuse can result in short and long-term physical injuries. It can also result in associated emotional or mental health issues as well as substance abuse issues. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are examples of mental health issues that can arise from a situation involving child abuse. Physical child abuse can not only result in long-term physical injury but also chronic mental health issues that persist indefinitely.

Ascertaining the full nature and extent of child sexual abuse in the United States proves highly problematic. An unknown number of child sexual abuse cases are never reported. With that said, researchers have concluded that at least one in five girls and at least one in 20 boys will be sexually abused at some juncture during their childhoods. The sexual abuse of a child can result in physical injuries in some instances.

It can also result in diseases of some sort being transmitted to the child. A child who is sexually abused is likely to experience what can prove to be significant mental health and emotional issues. These issues can be so profound and persistent that a person is unable to maintain proper intimate relationships. A person who was sexually abused as a child is also likely to suffer mental health and emotional conditions and issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.