Question
The newborn was prematurely born (at 8 months and 10 days) due to pregnancy hypertension, resulting in brain hypoxia (CT scan done on the sixth day after birth). How should the treatment be conducted? Will it affect the child’s future intellectual growth and development?
Answer
The baby was premature, and the situation of the score is unknown. The mother had pregnancy hypertension and a history of water aspiration, both of which are high-risk factors that can lead to newborn respiratory difficulties. Any factor that can cause newborn respiratory difficulties can lead to HIE, mainly due to brain edema and water aspiration-induced neurological damage to the central nervous system. Generally speaking, for mild to moderate hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, as long as the child responds well, eats well, and receives active treatment, including the use of many drugs that nourish brain cells, the prognosis is very good, and there will be no intellectual problems in the future like other children. However, for severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, it is more complicated, and the length of treatment time and the type of medication used can greatly affect the prognosis.