Question
My baby (full-term) was very drowsy and couldn’t be woken up for the first three days after birth, and didn’t like to breastfeed, leading to hypoglycemia. After fluid replacement, the condition returned to normal. The CT report at the time said there were no abnormalities. I’ve heard that neonatal hypoglycemia is a high-risk factor for low intelligence in infants later on, so I’m very anxious to know if the situation at that time could cause cognitive impairments in my baby later? Do I need to undergo any further tests? Such as electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.? Now, at one month old, my baby can babble and talk to adults, but doesn’t like to talk much; at 100 days old, they can use their arms to support themselves when lying on their stomach and can be held upright or sit on an adult’s lap; they laugh when teased.
Answer
The longer neonatal hypoglycemia persists, the more likely it is to affect cognitive development. However, based on your description, your baby recovered to normal after fluid replacement, and there were no abnormalities shown on the CT scan. Your baby is currently developing well. It is recommended to continue monitoring and perform electroencephalograms or magnetic resonance imaging if any abnormalities are detected. Your baby is very cute and intelligent, and there is no need to worry too much. Wishing your baby good health and happiness.