Boston Child Brain Injury Blog

Emanuel M. Quadros, 32, of Lawrence was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Wednesday on charges that he inflicted severe brain injuries on his infant son resulting in the little boy’s blindness.

Quadros, who pleaded not guilty, is being held in lieu of $75,000 cash bail. His charges include assault and battery on a child under 14 causing substantial injury.

According to the authorities, Quadros allegedly dropped his 3-week-old son on May 18th. Quadros told investigators that he panicked when the boy lost consciousness and took him to the other room, placed the baby on the bed, slapped him multiple times, and bounced him up and down while holding the child under his arms.

As a result of all this, the little boy, Jackson Quadros, suffered serious injuries such as:

• several broken bones,
• fractures to his right leg,
• loss of consciousness, and
• severe brain injuries resulting in blindness.

The baby was initially taken to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Boston. He has since been transferred to a nursing home.

The boy’s injuries were so severe that he is now blind, and is most-likely to be wheelchair-bound, according to police.

The boy’s father initially blamed his wife, Pamela Cook, for his son’s injuries, but investigators thought otherwise. Quadros is schedule to appear next in court on September 9th.

Child Injuries From Shaken Baby Incidents

Jackson Quadros is not the only baby that has suffered such traumatic injuries in the hands of his father. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are roughly 4,000 Shaken Baby Syndrome cases reported in the United States each year.

In most cases, about half of all reports, the infant’s biological father was the one violently shaking the baby and causing SBS injuries.

Some of the injuries that babies suffer in such violent episodes include:

• head trauma
• retinal hemorrhage
• broken limbs.

The younger the child, the more severe will be the resulting injuries, and young Jackson’s case is especially tragic because he was only 3 weeks old when his father dropped, beat and shook him.

According to Massachusetts law, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse, and as such children with SBS injuries could receive compensation from the responsible party.

What a Child Injury Lawyer Can Do For SBS Victims

If your child has been injured in a similar SBS accident while in the hands of another, you can pursue a child injury lawsuit on behalf of your child and seek rightful compensation for your child’s injuries.

To find out about your legal options and rights, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.

The Boston child injury lawyers at the Kiley Law Group have been representing child victims for over 30 years and have won multi-million settlements and verdicts on their behalf.

Find out if you have a case and what your case may potentially be worth.

Call 1-800-410-2769 today for a Free Consultation.

Emanuel M. Quadros, 32, of Lawrence was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Wednesday on charges that he inflicted severe brain injuries on his infant son resulting in the little boy’s blindness.

Quadros, who pleaded not guilty, is being held in lieu of $75,000 cash bail. His charges include assault and battery on a child under 14 causing substantial injury.

According to the authorities, Quadros allegedly dropped his 3-week-old son on May 18th. Quadros told investigators that he panicked when the boy lost consciousness and took him to the other room, placed the baby on the bed, slapped him multiple times, and bounced him up and down while holding the child under his arms.

As a result of all this, the little boy, Jackson Quadros, suffered serious injuries such as:

• several broken bones,
• fractures to his right leg,
• loss of consciousness, and
• severe brain injuries resulting in blindness.

The baby was initially taken to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Boston. He has since been transferred to a nursing home.

The boy’s injuries were so severe that he is now blind, and is most-likely to be wheelchair-bound, according to police.

The boy’s father initially blamed his wife, Pamela Cook, for his son’s injuries, but investigators thought otherwise. Quadros is schedule to appear next in court on September 9th.

Child Injuries From Shaken Baby Incidents

Jackson Quadros is not the only baby that has suffered such traumatic injuries in the hands of his father. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are roughly 4,000 Shaken Baby Syndrome cases reported in the United States each year.

In most cases, about half of all reports, the infant’s biological father was the one violently shaking the baby and causing SBS injuries.

Some of the injuries that babies suffer in such violent episodes include:

• head trauma
• retinal hemorrhage
• broken limbs.

The younger the child, the more severe will be the resulting injuries, and young Jackson’s case is especially tragic because he was only 3 weeks old when his father dropped, beat and shook him.

According to Massachusetts law, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse, and as such children with SBS injuries could receive compensation from the responsible party.

What a Child Injury Lawyer Can Do For SBS Victims

If your child has been injured in a similar SBS accident while in the hands of another, you can pursue a child injury lawsuit on behalf of your child and seek rightful compensation for your child’s injuries.

To find out about your legal options and rights, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.

The Boston child injury lawyers at the Kiley Law Group have been representing child victims for over 30 years and have won multi-million settlements and verdicts on their behalf.

Find out if you have a case and what your case may potentially be worth.

Call 1-800-410-2769 today for a Free Consultation.

An unidentified 3-year-old boy nearly drowned this past Saturday afternoon around 1:00pm at Curlew Pond on the grounds of the Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth. Local police and staff of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) performed CPR on the little boy and were able to revive him.

When emergency workers had initially responded to the call, the boy was out of the water and semi-conscious. According to The Boston Globe, the boy reportedly coughed up water once he was revived.

The unnamed boy was then transported to an area hospital and airlifted to a Boston hospital for further treatment. Curlew Pond has warnings posted to alert swimmers that there are no lifeguards on duty.

Drowning Incidents in the News
Last week, there were three tragic drowning incidents across Massachusetts that claimed the lives of three 4-year-olds.

The three young victims all drowned in swimming pools in Groton, Lynnfield and Attleboro either while visiting family friends or while in their own backyards. The deaths have all been determined to be accidents.

Drowning Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that younger children ages 1 to 4 are at the highest risk of drowning in a swimming pool or another body of water. Fatal drowning incidents are considered to be the 2nd leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 14.

Brain Injuries and Near Drowning Incidents
The CDC further reports that near drowning incidents can result in brain injuries such as brain hypoxia, caused by a lack of oxygen going to the brain while under the water. In a near drowning accident, the following symptoms may occur:

• Loss of memory
• Difficulty learning new tasks or skills
• Poor motor coordination or balance

If oxygen intake has been stopped for over 5 minutes due to being underwater, brain cells start to die and can result in the victim going into a coma or dying from the lack of oxygen.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt by another, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston child injury lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead.

Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury. Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

Lead poisoning poses a significant danger to children of any age and can result in permanent brain injury if not caught in time. This type of poisoning can stem from a variety of sources, such as paints on products that have been recalled, jewelry for children, toys, and glassware. Another origin of lead poisoning can be from lead paint in buildings or on outdoor fencing.

Lead can be found in dust, plastics, paint chips – all of which a young child or infant could ingest without even knowing. Plastic water bottles or other types of plastic containers may contain lead that will then seep into the liquid that is stored in them.

The effects of lead poisoning can be devastating to the neurological system and for a child’s general development and can include the following:

• Abnormal speech
• Abnormal bone and muscle development
• Aural damage, loss of hearing
• Damage to the kidneys and brain
• Developmental delays and learning disabilities

Symptoms of lead poisoning in children may exhibit in these ways:

• Unexplained weight and appetite loss
• Stomach pains
• Abnormally pale skin

Current trade agreements permit toys and other products containing lead to be imported into the U.S. and sold to consumers as long as the lead is within a certain range. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) publicly announces recalls of products when the agency determines that the product poses a danger or has resulted in injury to consumers, such as products that exceed the legal lead limit.

The most recent recall concerning a product with excessive lead occurred earlier this month, when the CPSC recalled an American Girl Crafts jewelry kit because the coating on the beads in the kit contained significantly high amounts of lead. In May of this year, a Toy Story 3 bowling game was also recalled by the CPSC because the red paint on the bowling pins exceeded the federal limit for lead in the paint.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt by a defective product, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support.

Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston child injury lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead. Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury.

Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

What Happened
According to The Boston Globe, an unidentified 38-year-old Pennsylvania woman and her 8-year-old son were rescued from nearly drowning in a swimming pool at the Winstead Village Inn in Harwich this past Sunday evening. The incident occurred just before 9:00pm when the woman’s husband found her floating in the pool and their son at the bottom of the pool. The woman reportedly did not know how to swim and may have tried to save her son who was in distress.

Two neighbors who live next door to the inn, Allen Furman, 31, and Dumitru Babes, 30, rushed to help pull both the woman and the boy out of the water and performed CPR on them as they waited for emergency personnel to arrive. Both the mother and her son were resuscitated and were listed in good condition at an area hospital.

Child Injuries from Near Drowning Accidents
Injuries that can result from near drowning incidents can oftentimes be severe in nature and may include brain damage, paralysis, memory complications, among other serious disabilities.

CDC Drowning Accident Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that approximately 10 people die from unintentional drowning each day in the U.S. Drowning is listed as the 6th most common cause of unintentional death for every age group, while drowning is the 2nd leading cause of fatalities among those aged 1-14.

Dangers of Swimming Pool Accidents
One of the most important rules to follow to prevent water-related incidents is to always have an adult supervise children who are playing in and around the pool. Supervision is key to preventing any near-drowning incident and other swimming pool dangers that may be present.

To reduce the risks around the water this summer, take a CPR class to learn or fine-tune this life-saving skill so that you’re prepared to take action. If you have a pool in your backyard, install a fence surrounding the pool that is at least 4 feet tall to prevent tragedies from occurring.

If Your Child Has Been Injured in a Drowning Accident
Parents should immediately call 911 and follow instructions from the dispatcher if their child has been found to be in distress in the water. If the incident could have been avoided, parents should also consider pursuing legal help in order to hold those responsible (a negligent babysitter, for example) for their child’s injuries.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt by another, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston child injury lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead.

Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury. Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us at 800-410-2769, or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the leading cause of fatalities for children aged 1-14 in the U.S. is motor vehicle crashes. Of these tragic child fatalities, nearly 60% were a direct result of the child not being restrained in a car seat or seat belt.

More than 80% of individuals who have car seats and other child safety restraints for their children are reported to misuse them. If car seats and restraints were used and installed properly, then this would help in significantly decreasing fatality rates among children who are involved in car accidents.

Keeping Kids Safe in the Car: Safety Reminders

1. Children younger than 12 should ride in the back seat of the vehicle always
2. Children younger than age 8 and shorter than 4’ 9” should be seated in a car seat or booster seat until the age and height requirements are met
3. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat, as airbags that deploy in the event of an accident can be deadly
4. Infants age 1 and younger should always use a rear-facing car seat
5. Go to the website of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for up-to-date recalls of car seats and booster seats
6. Ensure that your child’s car seat or booster seat is properly installed
7. Avoid used car seats, regardless of the bargain. If you don’t know the history of the car seat, it’s best to buy new for your child’s safety

Car Seat Selections
It can be overwhelming walking down aisles and aisles in order to choose a car seat for your little one.

There are several options for parents and other caregivers to choose from, such as infant car seats, convertible car seats, booster seats, or combination car seats.

While the choices you have are many, the one goal to keep in mind is your child’s safety while riding in the car.

Make sure you verify a car seat’s limits and requirements when it comes to your child’s height and weight and take those into account when purchasing the car seat.

Another helpful tip is to look for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s rating system that the agency has developed to grade car seats for any child’s age. The grades reflect instruction manuals, installation processes, and the restraint system as a whole.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt in a car accident, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston accident lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead. Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury.

Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

A 2-year-old boy and his father were injured last week when their SUV crashed in Alton, NH. The boy, who may not have been properly restrained before the crash suffered a head injury when the SUV rolled several times, throwing him and his father from the vehicle.

Both were taken to Maine Medical Center for treatment.

Child Endangerment

WMUR reports that the driver, Charles Bacon, 25, of West Ossippee, is expected to be charged with failing to properly restrain his son, and driving with a suspended license. Bacon may have also been speeding prior the crash, police said.

According to the authorities, skid marks could be seen on Route 11 following the crash, as well as some scattered personal belongings that were thrown from the vehicle. Police calculated that the SUV must have rolled over at least four times.

There were child seats in the vehicle, which police say they were not broken or damaged in any way.

The child found conscious after the crash and was listed in a satisfactory condition the following day, though this accident is a reminder about the dangers of not properly restraining a child, not to mention the legal requirements to do so.

When to Contact a Child Injury Lawyer

If your child has been injured in a single-vehicle rollover accident due to someone’s negligence, you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of your child against the negligent parties.

To find out about your legal options and rights, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.

The Boston child injury lawyers at the Kiley Law Group have been representing child victims injured in motor vehicle accidents for over 30 years.

Call 1-800-410-2769 for a Free Consultation.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Dream On Me, Inc. have announced a voluntary crib recall of approximately 22,000 Dream On Me’s full-size and portable drop-side cribs due to posing significant risks for suffocation, falls, entrapment and lacerations among infants.

Based in Piscataway, New Jersey, Dream On Me’s cribs were manufactured in China and sold throughout the U.S. at Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart and on Amazon.com.

The full-size cribs were sold from January 2006 through December 2009, while the drop-side cribs were sold between from September 2007 through December 2009.

The wooden cribs came in a variety of colors, either painted or stained in black, white, natural, dark brown, pink or cherry.

The CPSC reports that the hardware for the drop-side rail on the full-size cribs may fail, which could result in the drop-side to completely break away from the crib itself. This creates an opening between the side of the crib and the mattress, greatly increasing the risk for a baby or toddler to become entrapped and could potentially lead to crib injuries such as strangulation, suffocation, and brain injuries. A young child may also risk falling out of the crib due to the space created by the broken rail.

The hardware for the portable drop-side cribs may also fail and cause the rail to detach from the crib. The release latch may also fail and the slats of the crib and either become loose, break or even separate from the crib. Infants and toddlers may suffer lacerations on the hardware on the interior of the cribs.

Reported Injuries
The CPSC and Dream On Me have received nearly 70 incidents that resulted in injury among children. A 1-year-old boy suffered a facial laceration to his nose while he was entrapped between the mattress and the railing of his portable drop-side crib. In another instance, an 8-month-old baby girl suffered a head injury from the plastic hardware installed on the interior of her portable drop-side crib.

What To Do With Your Dream On Me Drop-Side Crib
The CPSC and Dream On Me are urging those who may own a Dream On Me drop-side crib to immediately stop using the crib and to find a safe alternative sleeping environment for your infant or toddler. It is also suggested to contact either the CPSC or Dream On Me for free kits to fix the drop-side on the full-size cribs. For owners of portable drop-side cribs, they will receive a free replacement portable crib with fixed sides starting in mid-July.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt by a defective product, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston child injury lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead. Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury.

Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us at 800-410-2769, or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

According to The Eagle Tribune, authorities are continuing to search for a 12-year-old Lawrence girl who was reportedly carried out to sea by a riptide at Hampton Beach last evening around 8:00pm. The unidentified girl was swimming in the water with her 20-year-old brother when a riptide pushed her further away from the shore. Her brother, who also remains unidentified, was rescued by another swimmer.

Officials are searching the area of the beach across from K Street and are reportedly searching up to 100 yards out into the water to locate the girl. The Coast Guard has continued their search with boats up and down the busy New Hampshire beach but has not found the girl yet.

Water Safety
Now that the warmer weather is here and will stick around for the next few months, it’s important to review these water safety tips as you and your family head to the beach or just to the backyard pool:

• Children of any age require constant adult supervision while in the water
• Consider taking CPR classes to be prepared in the event of an emergency
• Children under the age of 5 should be within your reach at all times
• Have young children wear life preservers as a precaution in unfamiliar waters (ocean, lake)
• Have a cell phone ready at all times while near the water in case of emergency

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has been seriously hurt by another, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of skilled Boston child injury lawyers can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead. Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her injury.

Before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us at 800-410-2769, or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

A new study by the Children’s Hospital Boston uses brain imaging such as MRI to scan babies’ brains for dyslexia or autism hallmarks years before children have trouble reading.

Researchers believe that if they can identify and treat such disorders earlier, they might eventually be able to prevent children from developing problems later.

Objectives of the Study

In disorders such as dyslexia, scientists hope to find out exactly when these problems start to develop and how, as well as how the brain reacts to the treatments, and whether problems can be detected and fixed even before the symptoms appear.

To do this, they needed sophisticated imaging techniques to study the brains of healthy babies that were not sedated. Researchers are using the scans of 40 babies under a year old, half with a family history of dyslexia, and half without.

Use of Sophisticated Imaging Technique to Identify Learning Disabilities

While previous studies have used behavioral tests to try to identify learning disabilities well before a person meets the criteria for a disease, they are now turning to sophisticated imaging techniques.

• A previous Children’s Hospital study published earlier this year in the journal BMC Medicine, used a technique that measures electrical activity in the brain of 9-month-old babies that were at risk of autism.
• In other studies, researchers studied the brains of premature babies, who are more prone to learning disabilities and other cognitive problems, and the brains of children with Tourette’s syndrome.
• A paper published last year in the journal NeuroImage, showed that there were differences in the size of specific brain areas in a group of young children who had not yet learned to read, between those with a family history of dyslexia and those without. The areas with the differences are known to be involved in reading, which suggested that the brain changes associated with dyslexia are already there before children begin to read.

The findings in this paper led Nadine Gaab and Dr. P. Ellen Grant, director of the Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center at Children’s Hospital to research if it was possible to discern abnormalities in the brain even earlier.

We wish them luck with their study and hope for results that will help the quality of life in children with dyslexia and autism.

The Boston child injury lawyers at the Kiley Law Group have been representing child victims injured in birth accidents, daycare center accidents, motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, and medical malpractice cases.

Call 1-800-410-2769 for a Free Consultation.