Question
A newborn has been diagnosed with hypoxemia and ischemia, and the family is worried whether this means the child’s brain will suffer from permanent damage, or even lead to intellectual development delays or dementia.
Answer
Neonatal hypoxemia and ischemic encephalopathy is indeed a syndrome of brain damage caused by intrauterine and extracorporeal hypoxia, along with imaging findings. The severity of this condition can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe levels, and it is a high-risk factor for language, behavioral, intellectual, and motor sequelae. However, this does not mean that all children with this condition will become children with dementia. When neonatal hypoxemia and ischemic encephalopathy is diagnosed, immediate active treatment measures should be taken, and subsequent rehabilitation treatment should be carried out to reduce the risk of sequelae and promote the child’s healthy development.