Journal of paediatrics and child health
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J Paediatr Child Health · May 2008
Single versus bihemispheric amplitude-integrated electroencephalography in relation to cerebral injury and outcome in the term encephalopathic infant.
The demand for early diagnosis and prognostication of cerebral injury in the encephalopathic term infant is increasing to facilitate appropriate management. The single-channel amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (S-aEEG) has been shown to have predictive utility for the severely encephalopathic infant. New bedside aEEG devices with more channels are entering the neonatal environment. Little data are available to compare the utility of two channels (B-aEEG) with that of an S-aEEG recording. ⋯ Amplitude measurements by the B-aEEG appear more sensitive in detecting cerebral injury in comparison with the S-aEEG, particularly in the setting of unilateral injury.
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J Paediatr Child Health · May 2008
Accuracy of pulse oximetry in assessing heart rate of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.
To determine the accuracy of pulse oximetry measurement of heart rate in the neonatal intensive care unit. ⋯ Pulse oximetry may provide a useful measurement of heart rate in the neonatal intensive care unit. Studies of this technique in the delivery room are indicated.
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Evidence suggests that NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) parents with an baby born at the threshold of viability do not always receive sufficient counselling during an emergency admission and as a consequence, are not well-informed to accept withdrawal of treatment or quality of life decisions. As prospective parents are not educated earlier in pregnancy about extreme premature delivery, crucial information and counselling explaining neonatal issues is only offered to labouring women during their emergency admission. As a result, most have difficulty understanding the risks and benefits of baby's treatment and therefore rely heavily on the perinatal physician to take responsibility for the initial treatment. ⋯ This shows that some parents will still be confronted by ethical decision of whether or not to continue treatment, and this may not be apparent until days after treatment has been established. As recent research has shown, parents do, in fact, want increased involvement in the decision-making process regarding their child's treatment. Therefore, it has been argued, that parents should be provided with information earlier in pregnancy to familiarise themselves with quality of life issues which they may encounter as the NICU parents of an extremely premature infant.