Key Points Preterm and critically ill infants are at high risk for cognitive and motor development problems, neurobehavioral and executive function problems, learning and academic problems, neurosensory problems, and poor functional outcomes. Neonatal morbidities, socioeconomic factors, and early interventions can…
Key Points Palliative care is the total care of a patient with a life-limiting illness regardless of the disease trajectory or treatment options chosen. There is a special focus on pain/symptom management, communication, quality of life, family support, and grief…
Key Points Pain and discomfort in infants are common occurrences in intensive care. Identification and management of neonatal pain remain challenging. Many neonatal pain scoring tools assist in classifying pain, but many were not validated in clinical practice. Neonatal pain…
Key Points The key feature of neonatal physiology is rapid maturation, resulting in extensive variability in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, further aggravated by other covariates, like pharmacogenetics or unique disease characteristics. Variability is the essence of neonatal care and neonatal pharmacology.…
Key Points In the neonate, many pathologic states and/or their treatment are associated with disruptions in normal body fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance, which at times may in themselves become life-threatening. Conversely, many conditions may be negatively affected by disruptions…
Key Points Regionalization of neonatal critical care improves outcomes. Highly effective transport systems feature centralized and standardized communications, experienced medical oversight and skilled teams trained to care for sick neonates. Appropriate transport care depends on the training and competency of…
Key Points Newborn screening (NBS) provides an opportunity for early identification of newborns with disorders in which the clinical complications develop postnatally and may remain unrecognized prior to irreversible clinical damage. Since its inception nearly six decades ago, with screening…
Key Points Providing an appropriate and stable thermal environment is important for newborns regardless of size or gestational age. Neutral thermal environment (NTE) refers to the ambient temperature necessary to maintain normal metabolism. Newborn (admission) hypothermia continues to be a…
Key Points Prenatal ultrasonography can diagnose multiple newborn conditions early. However, the natural history of many common ultrasound findings is variable, and the findings may or may not represent markers of serious disease. The short-term and long-term benefits of breastfeeding…
Key Points Preparation prior to delivery helps ensure timely and effective newborn resuscitation. Delayed umbilical cord clamping following delivery may have a significant impact on newborn outcomes. Establishing adequate ventilation is key to the perinatal transition. The laryngeal mask airway…