#1. Emotional and Psychological Distress
Knowing their child has suffered a temporary or permanent injury due to a doctor’s negligence can leave parents in emotional and psychological distress. Postpartum depression, while commonly known to affect mothers, can impact fathers, too.
Postpartum depression can be triggered by a variety of events after a child’s birth. Its symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Depressed mood or severe mood swings
- Excessive crying
- Difficulty bonding with the baby
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
- Inability to sleep or sleeping too much
#2. Mounting Costs in Medical Bills and Lost Wages
Caring for a child with a serious or permanent birth injury can be a full-time job. Often, parents may have to leave their jobs in order to care for their children, which can lead to monumental costs in lost wages. Parents may also face high medical bills in order to provide their child with the medical and/or live-in care the child needs.
#3. Difficulties in Their Relationship
It’s not uncommon for spouses or partners to experience relationship difficulties when their child has a chronic illness or disability. Although most parents are more than happy to provide their child with the constant care and supervision they require, there is no doubt that this physical, emotional, and financial toll can have negative effects on each parent’s relationship with each other.
