Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a complicated diagnosis with a wide range of outcomes that can require differing levels of care, therapy, and support. Here, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide of medical information that may be useful to parents and caretakers of children with HIE.
HIE: Basic Information
These pages can help you learn more about what causes HIE, how doctors know that a baby has HIE, and what an HIE diagnosis means.
Conditions Associated With HIE
If a baby has HIE, that essentially means that their brain has been damaged as the result of oxygen deprivation around the time of birth. HIE may manifest in a variety of different symptoms, depending on the severity, extent, and location of the brain damage. The following are some conditions commonly associated with HIE:
Preventing HIE
Because HIE can have serious, lasting consequences on a baby’s health, it is important that medical professionals use their expertise to prevent HIE. The following are just a few important considerations when it comes to preventing HIE.
Treating/Managing HIE
Treatments for HIE fall into two major categories: reducing the spread of brain damage immediately after birth (with hypothermia therapy) and managing the symptoms once damage has already set in.
Reducing Injury Severity (Preventing Further Injury)
- Hypothermia Therapy (Brain Cooling)
Managing HIE Symptoms
- Stem Cell Therapy
- Treating Cerebral Palsy Stemming from HIE
- Surgical Options (SDR, Gastroenterologic Surgery, Hearing and Vision Correction, Orthopedic Surgery, and Neurosurgery)
- Medications for Spasticity
- Physical Therapy
- Behavioral Therapy
- Sensory Integration Therapy
- Speech-Language Pathology (AACs)
- Occupational Therapy
- Massage Therapy
- Recreational therapy (Camps, Hippotherapy, Adaptive Recreation, Inclusive Playgrounds and Music Therapy)
- Assistive and Adaptive Technologies
- Service Animals
About the HIE Help Center
The HIE Help Center is run by Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers, a medical malpractice firm exclusively handling cases involving HIE and other birth injuries. Our lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience with this type of law, and have been advocating for children with HIE and related disabilities since the firm’s inception in 1997.
We are passionate about helping families obtain the compensation necessary to cover their extensive medical bills, loss of wages (if one or both parents have to miss work in order to care for their child), assistive technology, and other necessities.
If you suspect your child’s HIE may have been caused by medical negligence, please contact us today to learn more about pursuing a case. We provide free legal consultations, during which we will inform you of your legal options and answer any questions you have. Moreover, you would pay nothing throughout the entire legal process unless we obtain a favorable settlement.
You are also welcome to reach out to us with inquiries that are not related to malpractice. We cannot provide individualized medical advice, but we’re happy to track down informational resources for you.
