Prematurity/Neonatal Flashcards
What tonal pattern do premature babies typically present with and why?
Extensor tone. More room in the womb for them to spread out versus a full-term baby who is cramped into flexion. Resolves spontaneously and with position interventions in ICU
Full-term definition
Child born at 37 weeks or later.
36 weeks and x amount of days is NOT full-term.
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
Ischemic lesion –> necrosis of the white matter
Especially in the area that controls the corticospinal tract
PVL results in what type of CP?
Spastic diplegia
Causes of PVL
Premature infant with respiratory distress syndrome (which causes hypotension) –> decreased cerebral blood flow during episodes of systemic hypotension resulting in an infarction
***The larger the gestational age (the later they’re born), the smaller the chance of white matter damage
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
Nearly all occur within first 3 days of life
Bleeding inside or around ventricles
Often in premature babies due to fragile/weak blood vessels
***The smaller and more premature the baby as well as babies with respiratory problems, the more likely they’ll have an IVH
IVH grades
Grade 1 = bleeding within small area of ventricles
Grade 2 = bleeding also occurs inside ventricles
Grade 3 = ventricles enlarged by blood
Grade 4 = enlarged ventricles push out brain tissue; bleeding into brain tissue occurs
IVH can cause…
CP usually results during Grades 3 & 4; sometimes hydrocephalus
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation
***Can occur in full-term infants
HIE causes…
Diffuse motor damage, CP
Characteristics of seizures in infants
Jerking of eyes, sustained eye opening, ocular fixation, eye blinking or fluttering, sucking/smacking/drooling, “swimming/rowing/pedaling” movements
APGAR tested at (how many min?)
1 min post-birth and 5-min post-birth
APGAR scoring
Typical score = 9 & 10 (at 1 & 5 min) for example
Concerning APGAR scores will have additional number added, taken at 10 min
Babies who score 7+ at 1 min and 5 min are considered doing well
Concerning scores = 2 & 5 (at 1 & 5 min) for example
Order of sensation development
Touch, vestibular, olfactory, taste, hearing, vision
Infant states
Deep sleep - really asleep
Light sleep - kind of in and out; irregular breathing
Drowsy - eyes open or closed; varying degree of activity
Quiet alert - awake & alert; bright shiny look
Awake alert - infant clearly aroused
Crying
