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- Anemia
- Your premature baby does not tolorate
being anemic. He still can't make enough new red blood cells, so often he
may be given a transfusion to combat the anemia.
- Apnea
- This describes when your baby has stopped breathing for 20 seconds or more. It is a very common occurrence
in preemies and usually disappears as they grow.
- Bradycardia
- This means your baby's heart rate
is less than 100 beats per minute. Usually just rubbing your baby's back
will bring her heart rate up. Sometimes caffeine is used to keep her heart
rate up. Apnea and bradycardia often go hand-in-hand in preemies.
- Breathing Problems
- These problems are the result of
underdeveloped lungs. Your baby will be assisted in his breathing by a
respirator or nasal CPAP to help him breath.
- Infections
- Your baby has an underdeveloped immune
system and therefore is susceptible to infections. If your baby's doctor
or nurses suspect an infection (often the symptoms are not very specific)
they will order a blood and urine culture and a lumbar puncture. Your baby
may be started on antibiotics as a precaution before the test results are
in.
- Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
- Your baby's brain has very small
and very fragile blood vessels. Most premature babies have some form of
IVH. These bleeds usually occur just to the center of the brain and below,
in the ventricle. They are graded 1, 2, 3 and 4. The most serious is a Grade
4, which often occurs in smaller preemies and can lead to future handicaps.
- Jaundice
- An excess of bilirubin in your baby's
blood causes him to turn yellow. Approximately 80% of premature babies develop
jaundice. Phototherapy helps to break down the bilirubin in your baby's
blood steam.
- Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA)
- This small blood vessel is supposed
to narrow and close soon after birth. The vessel allows blood to bypass
the lungs. In many premature babies it doesn't close and blood flow and
lung problems can develop. A drug called Indomethacin makes your baby's
PDA close. Sometimes surgery is needed if the drug fails to work.
- Potential Long Term Problems
- Your baby and most babies often develop quite normally with few
long-term problems. However, studies do indicate that preemies born at less
than 25 weeks will have at least learning disabilities and other serious
problems are not uncommon. Follow-up is vital and catches some problems,
but the underlying damage is long since done; early intervention, while
very effective for some problems, doesn't by any means help all. Follow-up
clinics exist in many communities and through many children's hospitals.
Your baby's neonatologist and your baby's primary care nurses, as well as
the social worker can help address your concerns about long term problems.
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
- This occurs because your baby's immature
lungs lack surfactant. Usually if a baby is less than 30 weeks gestation,
the surfactant is given right at birth. Surfactant keeps the air sacs in
the lungs from collapsing. In older preemies ventilators and CPAP is used
and surfactant is given when it's needed.
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
- Your baby's eyes are still not fully
developed. An eye specialist will check for any abnormal growth in the eyes
blood vessels and can perform surgery if needed.
- Transfusions
- Sometimes premature babies need transfusions.
If your baby needs a transfusion, all the blood products used will go through
special preparations and testing.
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