Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy what are the Symptoms?
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy also referred to in short as HIE, is a type of brain injury or damage that is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. It is an extremely dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention. In some instances, cooling therapy may be necessary following birth in order to reverse the effects of oxygen deprivation. In some instances, HIE can lead to cerebral palsy or other associated disabilities in children. Birth asphyxia, or oxygen deprivation, is believed to cause approximately 840,000 neonatal deaths globally. Cerebral palsy is one of the most serious and costly neurological disabilities due to its prevalence (2 out of every 1,000 births according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health), and its persistence over the child’s lifetime. According to the Florida Neonatal Neurologic Network, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy affects approximately 20 out of every 1,000 full-term births. The prevalence is higher in babies born prematurely. What Are the Symptoms of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy? Some of the symptoms associated with this brain injury include: Poor feeding, Behavioral abnormalities, Lethargy, Seizures and/or epileptic activity, Abnormalities or irregularities in heart rate and blood pressure, Poor muscle tone, also referred to as hypotonic, Labored breathing or no breathing at birth, Discoloration at birth, such as a bluish or pale skin tone, Excessive acid in the blood, Presence of me conium in the amniotic fluid.
Are There Available Treatment Options for HIE? There are several treatment options available for babies born with HIE, such as mechanical ventilation that assists with a baby’s breathing, cooling therapy to reverse brain hypoxia, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, medications, and various treatments to assist the baby’s heart function and control blood pressure. How is hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy diagnosed? The guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology indicate that the following must be present or have occurred for perinatal asphyxia to be designated as severe enough to result in brain damage: pH less than 7 in an umbilical artery blood sample, Apgar scores between 0 and 3 for longer than 5 minutes, Neonatal neurologic abnormal condition (e.g., coma, seizures, poor muscle tone), Involvement of multiple organs, such as the heart, liver, lungs, and intestines.
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