Tiny Miracle
Julia Toivonen once said, “Some days you just need to breathe, believe, trust and step back to witness the incredible strength of your tiny miracle….” The most common infant health issue in America is the birth of premature babies, which have many short term and long term effects on an infant and mother.
Imagine awaiting one's little miracles, and having to experience the complications of a premature birth. A staggering 15 million babies are born premature each year around the world. Of that number, 1 million of those infants die due to complications. Premature birth is defined as “ a birth that takes place more than three weeks before the baby is due” (mayoclinicstaff). The normal gestational period for a full term pregnancy …show more content…
These complications may be either short or long-term. Short-term complications may only last several months, whereas long-term complications may last years. The severity of the complication depends on the stage of the preterm birth and the birth weight of the infant. There are seven major complications that a premature infant may endure. The first complication is respiratory problems. “One of the most common and immediate problems facing premature infants is difficulty breathing” (“aprimeronpreemies”). The most common respiratory problem or lung disorder among premature infants is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome. “The baby’s immature lungs don’t produce enough of an important substance called surfactant” (“aprimeronpreemies”). Surfactant helps the lungs expand properly giving a full term infant sufficient oxygen to thrive. Therefore, babies who have RDS must be placed on a ventilator and given surfactant. This substance helps decrease the amount of time infants spend on a ventilator in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU. The next most common premature birth complication is one of heart problems. One of these is Patent Ductus Arteriosus, PDA, “a blood vessel that is an essential part of fetal blood circulation, allowing blood to bypass the lungs because oxygen for the blood comes from the mother and not from breathing air” (“aprimeronpreemies”). PDA is often treated with indomethacin or ibuprofen. …show more content…
Infants with GER tend to spit up after feeding. “Severe GER can cause feeding difficulties, irritability, poor weight gain, and respiratory problems” (“short-andlong-termchallengesofprematurity”). Some infant formulas can aid in the digestion problems. When the infant’s gastrointestinal system matures, GER tends to resolve itself. Hyperbilirubinemia is another complication that premature infants face. This blood problem is when an infant has high levels of bilirubin, “which is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells” (“aprimeronpreemies”). High bilirubin blood counts lead to jaundice, which causes a yellowing of the skin. High levels are very dangerous and cause brain damage. Jaundice can be treated by placing the infant under special blue lights called bili lights which break down bilirubins. These levels are tested daily. In very rare cases, blood transfusions are needed for treatment. Anemia is also a very common blood problem in premature babies. Webster’s Dictionary defines Anemia as, “a condition in which a person has fewer red blood cells than normal.” The treatment of Anemia requires the addition of an iron supplement to the infant’s daily life for approximately 12 months. Short term vision problems for a premature infant include Retinopathy of Prematurity, ROP. This is “abnormal growth of the blood vessel in an infant’s eye.”