What to Watch For When Something Doesn’t Feel Right
When a baby is born, every parent hopes for clear cries, a healthy APGAR score, and a smooth transition into life outside the womb. But for some families, something feels off—right away or in the weeks that follow. Maybe your baby isn't moving one side of their body. Maybe they’re not meeting milestones. Maybe they cry constantly, but something in you knows it’s more than colic.
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we speak to families every day who have that gut instinct: something happened during delivery. Our job is to help them find the truth, especially when the medical team offers vague reassurances or conflicting explanations. The earlier a potential birth injury is recognized, the sooner your child can access the care and resources they need—and the sooner you can begin your path toward justice.
Understanding the Difference Between Common Challenges and Serious Red Flags
Not all developmental delays indicate a birth injury. But some symptoms—especially in the context of a difficult labor or a complicated delivery—may point to an injury caused by medical negligence.
You don’t need a diagnosis to take your concerns seriously. These signs are often the first indicators that something went wrong.
Symptoms That May Indicate a Serious Birth Injury
We’ve worked with families across Oklahoma who’ve reported symptoms like these in the hours, days, or months after delivery:
Neurological Symptoms
Seizures shortly after birth
Abnormal muscle tone (too floppy or too stiff)
Weak or absent reflexes
Excessive sleepiness or lack of responsiveness
Favoring one side of the body or hand dominance before age 1
These may indicate brain damage due to oxygen deprivation (HIE), a brain bleed, or trauma from delivery tools.
Physical or Musculoskeletal Symptoms
Limp arms or legs (especially on one side)
Arm stuck against the body or hand curled in (a potential sign of Erb’s palsy)
Head tilting to one side
Skull swelling or bruising
Delayed ability to sit, crawl, or walk
These symptoms can stem from nerve damage, fractures, or undiagnosed trauma during delivery.
Feeding & Developmental Delays
Difficulty latching or sucking
Frequent choking or gagging
Severe reflux
Delayed speech or no babbling by 12 months
Not smiling, rolling over, or engaging with caregivers
These signs may indicate cerebral palsy, cognitive injury, or a neurological delay caused by birth trauma.
Red Flags in the NICU or Shortly After Birth
A stay in the NICU with vague explanations
Diagnosis of “neonatal encephalopathy”
Low APGAR scores with no documented infection or explanation
Cooling therapy (hypothermia treatment)
Head ultrasound or MRI ordered in the first 48 hours
If your baby was whisked away and treated urgently after delivery, it may be because something went wrong during labor—even if no one has told you exactly what.
What Doctors May Not Tell You
Hospitals are rarely transparent about birth injuries. Most families are told:
“Every baby develops differently.”
“It’s too early to tell.”
“They’ll grow out of it.”
“There’s no way to know why this happened.”
But there is a way to know—if someone with the right expertise is willing to look. That’s what we do.
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we bring in:
Pediatric neurologists
Neonatal specialists
Fetal monitoring experts
OB/GYN and labor & delivery experts
We review fetal heart tracings, delivery timelines, provider decisions, and NICU records to uncover the root cause of your child’s injury.
You Are Not Overreacting
When you feel something isn’t right with your child, trust that instinct. We’ve seen it validated over and over again—parents who knew in their hearts that their baby deserved more answers than they were given.
You don’t need to have all the records. You don’t need a confirmed diagnosis. If your child is showing symptoms and you suspect the birth process is to blame, we will help you find out the truth.
Why Symptoms Matter for Legal and Medical Reasons
The symptoms you observe not only help doctors understand how to care for your child—they also help us determine if medical malpractice occurred. If your child is showing symptoms that align with:
Oxygen deprivation
Nerve damage
Birth trauma
Missed diagnosis or delayed treatment
—then your family may have a strong legal claim.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about accountability—and giving your child every possible chance at the care, therapy, and support they need for the long road ahead.
Why Oklahoma City Families Choose Van Wey, Metzler & Williams
We are not a general injury firm. We are a nationally recognized medical malpractice law firm that focuses on life-altering injuries—especially those affecting infants and children. When we take your case, you get:
Access to the best birth injury experts in the country
A legal team that understands both the medicine and the law
Compassionate support from people who understand your grief, fear, and urgency
Relentless advocacy for your child’s future
Let’s Talk About What You’re Seeing
We know how hard it is to say the words out loud: I think something went wrong with my baby’s birth. But you’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Let us listen. Let us look. Let us help.
