Premature Babies
By Donna
Many of us know a baby who was born too early and who is doing just fine. Most premature babies catch up to their full-term peers within a year or two of their birth. But some premature babies are not so lucky. Their low birth weight and insufficient physical development at birth result in lifelong health problems. Some of these children struggle every day to survive. The smallest or sickest babies die at birth or shortly afterwards. Most pregnancies last around 40 weeks. Babies born between 37 and 42 completed weeks of pregnancy are called full term. Babies born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy are called premature. Premature babies are at increased risk for newborn health complications, as well as lasting disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, lung and gastrointestinal problems, vision and hearing loss, and even death. Many premature babies require care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), which has specialized medical staff and equipment that can deal with the multiple problems faced by premature infants. All premature babies are at risk for health problems, but those born before about 32 weeks of gestation face the highest risk. These babies usually are very small, and their organs are less developed than those of babies born later. Fortunately, advances in obstetrics and neonatology (the branch of paediatrics that deals with newborns) have improved the chances of survival for even these smallest babies. Not only are premature babies often small and sick, but also they may look and behave very differently than full-term babies. For example, their skin may be thin and wrinkled, and their heads may look too large for their bodies. But these babies look the way they should at their stage of development. They will begin to appear and act more like full-term babies as they continue to develop and grow. About 25 percent of preterm births result from early induction of labour or caesarean delivery due to pregnancy complications or health problems in the mother or the fetes. In most of these cases, early delivery is probably the safest approach for mother and baby. Babies born before 32 weeks of pregnancy are at greatest risk. They can have all sorts of problems varying from (1) Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS): Lack of surfactant in the lungs which means the lungs are very sticky and hard to breath, (2) Intraventricular Haemorrhage (IVH): bleed in the brain, (3) Necrotizing Enter colitis (NEC): Inflammation of the intestines, (4) Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP): is an eye condition caused by the abnormal growth of blood vessels. It can result in vision loss and blindness. (5) Chronic Lung Disease (also called broncho pulmonary dysplasia or BPD): Babies who have this disease develop fluid in the lungs, scarring and lung damage, which can be seen on an X-ray. They are treated with oxygen and drugs. Their lungs usually improve over the first two years of life. But many children develop a chronic lung disease resembling asthma. This condition can last for many years. (6) Infections: Premature babies are at higher risk of developing infections than full-term babies. Their immune systems are immature and not as able to fight off infections. (7) Anaemia: Premature babies are often anaemic. This means that they do not have enough red blood cells. Babies with anaemia may have feeding problems and grow slowly. Anaemia also can make heart or breathing problems worse. (8) Patent Duct’s Arteriosus (PDA): PDA is a heart problem that is commonly seen in premature babies. A large blood vessel (the ducts arteriosus) is supposed to close at birth so that the baby’s blood can circulate normally. In PDA, this blood vessel does not close. (9) Apnoea: Apnoea occurs when a baby stops breathing for 20 seconds or more. The baby may also have a slow heart rate. Premature babies are constantly monitored for apnoea. If a baby stops breathing, the monitor will sound. A nurse will stimulate the baby to start breathing by patting him or touching the soles of his feet. Sometimes after leaving the hospital, a baby uses an apnoea monitor at home for some weeks.
After reading all this you are probably scared and nervous, but there is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel, My son Aiden was born at 28wks gestation, weighed 2 lb 7 oz at birth, he was ventilated for 48hrs and then on c-pap for 8 wks. He eventually went onto oxygen via nasal canulor, as was diagnosed as having chronic lung disease, he came home after spending 16 wks in scbu, he was still on O2 and monitors has had apnoea’s regularly. He is doing just fine now, He is 15 months, huge, weighs over 26 lb and is like a normal child of his age, He is a little behind, as he won’t walk, crawl or talk yet, but otherwise he is doing just great.
From Donna
Here is the little fighter Aiden
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