Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic disorder that affects motor neurons. The protein needed to keep these motor neurons alive is not coded correctly by the SMN1 gene. ... read more »

Hospital Care for a Premature Infant

Premature infants are born before the 37th week gestation. The earlier an infant is born, the greater the chance special care will be required before the infant is discharged from the hospital. ... read more »

Miracle Twins Born 24 Days Apart Expected to Go Home Soon

The Antune twins are Boston twins born 24 days apart. ... read more »

Pregnancy Complications with Multiple Births

Pregnancy complications in twins are many-fold higher than with a singleton baby and include a higher rate of premature deliveries and fetal anomalies. ... read more »

Anna Faris Welcomes First Child

Anna Faris and husband Chris Pratt are thrilled to welcome their first child, a boy, into the world. ... read more »

Extra Special Care For Twins

  High risk pregnancies will often require additional testing and routine checkups. Depending on whether the pregnancy is a twin or triplet pregnancy, bed rest may be ordered as early as the first trimester.  ... read more »

Mothers of NICU Newborns Lacking Privacy

Despite smaller patient numbers and secluded environments, neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are not the best places for breastfeeding mothers, according to a new study from researchers at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. ... read more »

Hospital Care of Small for Gestational Age Infants

Small for gestational age is a medical term used to describe the weightand gestational age of an infant. Just because an infant is small forgestational age doesn't mean extra care is needed or that the infantwill have long-term medical issues. ... read more »

Evaluating Current Ventilation Therapies in Preterm Infants

Ventilation and other medical interventions are often used on pre-term infants to improve lung function and prolong early life long enough to allow the lungs to develop properly and sustain life without medical intervention. ... read more »

Music, Mom’s Voice Help Preemies Eat Better

A recent study has found that parents can help their premature baby significantly. The research team used music and the mother's voice to encourage preemies to feed themselves effectively in the NICU. ... read more »

NICU Volunteer “Cuddlers” Embrace Labor of Love

For some very lucky preemies, NICU volunteer 'cuddlers' come to the rescue. These volunteers are trained to hold and comfort NICU babies when parents and nurses can't be there. ... read more »

Kangaroo Care

There is nothing more important than skin to skin contact between mother and child, according to the March of Dimes and other supporters of pregnancy and infant health. ... read more »

Optimizing Neonatal Resuscitation with Heated, Humid Gases

Current medical protocol requires use of cold, dry gas in the resuscitation of neonates. This gas can reduce body temperature and increase lung damage. ... read more »

Premature Babies Soothed by Lullabies

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics claims lullabies are more than soothing songs to lure baby to sleep. Premature infants treated in NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) showed improvements in health associated with lullabies. ... read more »

Viruses Found in Stool Samples of Premature Infants

Researchers from the Prince of Wales Hospital recently published a study in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health revealing specific viruses and prevalence of infection in infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU). ... read more »

Baby-Friendly NICU to Support Kangaroo Care

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is where premature and special needs neonates spend the first days, weeks or months of their new lives. ... read more »

Intubating Neonates May Cause Tooth Defects

Researchers from the Universidade Federal do Parana have reported cases of tooth defects in neonates intubated soon after birth. All infants included in the study were intubated in the hospital after preterm delivery - prior to the 35th week gestation. ... read more »

Parent Health and Functioning 13 Months After NICU/PICU Death

After the death of an infant or child in the NICU or PICU, immediate attention is paid to grieving parents. Soon after leaving the hospital, however, support diminishes and eventually disappears. ... read more »

Language Skills Improve When Parents Talk to Preemies

A new study indicates the more words per hour a preemie hears in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the sooner s/he catches up on language. ... read more »

Impact of LISA on Extremely Premature Infants

LISA or less invasive surfactant administration is a method of administering life-saving surfactant to extremely premature lungs. Surfactant is a substance that prevents the alveoli in the lungs from collapsing when premature infants breathe out. ... read more »

Low Birth Weight Babies: Hospital and Home Care

Infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams (5.5 pounds) are considered low birth weight. Some low birth weight infants are born premature while others are born on-time, but weigh less than average. ... read more »

What is a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)?

NICU is the abbreviation for the neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital. Infants born premature or in need of advanced medical care may be admitted to the NICU for observation and treatment. ... read more »

Benefits of Immediate NICU High-Frequency Breathing Support

One of the toughest hurdles that premature babies must overcome is breathing. Preemies almost always require breathing support in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). ... read more »

Reasons for Infants to Revisit an Emergency Center

A recent study in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care reveals a possible connection between first-visit symptoms and hospital admission at a second emergency room (ER) visit. Researchers evaluated ER visits for neonates. ... read more »

Characteristics of Neonatal Hypoglycemia

A new report published in the Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism examines the common characteristics of infants admitted to neonatal units for hypoglycemia to give medical professionals a set of guidelines or common factors in infants affected by the condition. ... read more »

Does Time of Delivery Affect Infants With Birth Defects?

According to a new study completed by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, births occurring at night and over the weekend are just as safe for infants born with birth defects as weekday deliveries. ... read more »

Improved Care for Preemies With Cognitive Disabilities

The death rate of premature infants dropped from 90% to 20% from 1950 to 2000. The drop is associated with advances in critical care. ... read more »

‘Kangaroo Care’ Boosts Mother-Child Bond and Preemie Health

The human touch is important. One person touching another, skin to skin, may be most important when establishing a bond between a mother and her newborn child. ... read more »

NICU Infection Rates Attributed to Reduced Nursing Staff

The nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are the primary care providers. They work with newborns that need special care and advanced medical attention. Specialized care can mean a heavier burden is placed on the nursing staff. ... read more »

Impact of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis Protocol

A group of researchers from the University of North Carolina, Duke University and the Pediatrix-Obstetrix Center for Research and Development in Sunrise, Florida have gathered together to study the impact of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis protocol for newborns with serious bacterial infections (SBIs). ... read more »

Measuring Preemie Temperature Using Infrared Technology

Researchers have recently published a small-scale study into the possibility of using infrared technology to track and record changes in premature infant body temperatures without coming in contact with skin. ... read more »