Early human development
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Early human development · Dec 2002
Skin conductance and behaviour during sensory stimulation of preterm and term infants.
To investigate the responses to painful and tactile stimulation in preterm and term infants in terms of changes in the plantar skin conductance activity (SCA) and behavioural state. Plantar SCA reflects activity in the sympathetic nervous system. ⋯ Non-painful sensory stimulation of infants, especially the newborn and preterm ones, can produce equal or higher levels of physiological stress activation than painful stimulation. Repeated nociceptive stimulation probably sensitises the infants to pain.
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Early human development · Apr 2002
Monocyte phagocytosis as a reliable parameter for predicting early-onset sepsis in very low birthweight infants.
Septic complications lead to a high mortality rate in very low birthweight infants (VLBWI). Therefore, prognostic markers for the development of sepsis attach importance to start an efficient therapy as early as possible. ⋯ The determination of phagocytosis in the cord blood seems to be a reliable parameter for predicting early-onset sepsis and offers the possibility for a forward start of an antibiotic therapy.
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Early human development · Dec 2001
Neurodevelopmental status at 1 year predicts neuropsychiatric outcome at 14-15 years of age in very preterm infants.
Neurodevelopmental and behavioural problems have been repeatedly reported in very preterm survivors, often showing themselves later in childhood as poor school performance. Early identification of problems would mean that appropriate remedial therapy can be implemented. We have previously shown that neurodevelopmental status at 1 year was predictive of outcome at 8 years in a cohort of preterm infants. The aim of this paper was to see if neurodevelopmental outcome in adolescence could be predicted by assessment by 1 year in the same cohort of preterm infants. ⋯ Neurodevelopmental assessment at 1 year is predictive of school performance and outcome in the adolescent period.
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The aim of this work was to perform a quantitative analysis of the different activities (mouth, eye and gross body movements) in the fetuses of 15 women with normally evolving pregnancies, and also to show the existence of intrauterine neurological maturation. ⋯ The authors conclude that there is a trend of fetal activities, which is an expression of fetal neurological maturation.
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The aim of this study is to determine the oxidative state of term and preterm neonates at the moment of birth and during the first days of life, and the influence of exposure to oxygen on the premature neonates. A total of 20 neonates were selected. Group A: 10 healthy full-term neonates, and Group B: 10 preterm neonates with no other pathology associated, requiring oxygen therapy. ⋯ At birth, the neonate presents an increase of markers of oxidative stress and a decrease of their antioxidant defenses. This difference is greater as gestational age decreases. The application of oxygen therapy resulted in these levels which remain low throughout the study period.