Preemie Awareness Month

I recently received an email from a reader asking about his little girl who was born prematurely at 31 weeks. He wondered what parents with premature babies should be aware of during the first year. Well I did some research in preparation of my answer and discovered that November is prematurity awareness month! One in 8 babies are born before term (37 – 40 weeks gestation). Years ago the odds of survival were slim. In 1963 the nation was shocked when President Kennedy’s son was born almost 5 weeks premature. He died shortly thereafter despite the best efforts of his doctors. The chance that would happen today is rare. We now know a lot more about premature infants and how to help them prior to and after birth. During the hospitalization, the neonatologists will work hard to address her complex medical needs which can include her heart, brain, lungs and intestines. When she comes home, you may wonder: “What can I do to help her?” The two main things that you can do as a parent to help with your infant is prevent illness and promote development.

1. Prevent illness. Your young baby is very susceptible to illness in the cold and flu season. Premature infant lungs are particularly vulnerable to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). You can take care by washing your hands, getting your flu shot and discussing options with your doctor to prevent RSV in your baby.

2. Promote development. Your baby may need some extra help to catch up with her peers. I encourage you to interact with your baby as you would with all babies. You don’t need the high tech gadgets and flashing toys for stimulation. The best stimulation your baby can get is social interaction and touch. Babies need to be talked to and held. They need you to laugh and talk and sing songs. It’s better for your baby’s brain to see a parent smile than sit in front of a television. Her development will be monitored at her well child visits. When babies are 6 months adjusted age (i.e., the age they would be if they would have continued to full term) they are often evaluated at a developmental clinic to see how they compare with other infants their age. For most premature babies we continue to adjust for their prematurity until they are two years of age.

It’s amazing that medical technology has changed in such a relatively short period of time. We are working hard at understanding and preventing premature births as well as saving those babies born premature. You can access more information detailing prematurity by going to The American Academy of Pediatrics website at www.aap.org.

Remember, regular visits with your pediatrician are necessary!

Dr. Sheila Cason