Question

During sleep at night, the girl sometimes suddenly cries out loudly, and she can calm down after being picked up and gently patted. Her legs occasionally twitch during sleep, and she is extremely sensitive to sounds, easily crying out in response to minor noises. In addition, her developmental indicators are about half a month behind the normal standard. Are these symptoms related to her hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy? How severe is her condition?

Answer

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in newborns is a type of brain damage caused by partial or complete oxygen deprivation, reduced or interrupted cerebral blood flow, due to asphyxia during the perinatal period. This condition may originate from repeated apnea, severe respiratory diseases, etc., leading to ischemic and hypoxic conditions in the body. Under conditions of hypoxia and ischemia, the body prioritizes oxygen supply to vital organs such as the heart and brain. However, if hypoxia and ischemia persist for too long, it may result in brain cell damage. The girl’s symptoms during nighttime sleep…