Links
http://www.bliss.org.uk/ charity that helps premature babies, lots of information on this site
http://www.4um.com/tutorial/icm/ventilat.htm info on ventilators
http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/ very worthy charity helping keep sick children and their parents together.
Information
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that only occurs during pregnancy. It causes high blood pressure, protein leaks from the kidneys into the urine, and other symptoms may develop (see below). It usually develops sometime after the 20th week of pregnancy. The severity of pre-eclampsia can vary. Serious complications may affect the mother, the baby, or both. The more severe the condition becomes, the greater the risk that complications will develop.
Eclampsia is a type of seizure (convulsion) which is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy. About 1 in 100 women with pre-eclampsia develop eclampsia. So, most women with pre-eclampsia do not progress to have eclampsia. However, a main aim of treatment and care of women with pre-eclampsia is to prevent eclampsia and other possible complications.
Placental Abruption is a serious condition in which the placenta partially or completely separates from the lining of your uterus.
Amniotic-fluid embolism is a rare, but serious and often fatal maternal complication of delivery, of which the cause is unknown but women at more risk if they have placental abruption, abdominal trauma, placenta previa, and forceps delivery. Amniotic fluid embolizes to the maternal circulation, causing tachycardia, hypotension, respiratory failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and often rapid maternal death.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), also known as consumptive coagulopathy, is a pathological activation of blood clotting mechanisms that happens in response to a variety of diseases. DIC leads to the formation of small blood clots inside the blood vessels throughout the body. As the small clots consume coagulation proteins and platelets, normal coagulation is disrupted and abnormal bleeding occurs from the skin (e.g. from sites where blood samples were taken), the digestive tract, the respiratory tract and surgical wounds. The small clots also disrupt normal blood flow to organs which may malfunction as a result. DIC can occur acutely but also on a slower, chronic basis, depending on the underlying problem. It is common in the critically ill, and may participate in the development of multiple organ failure which may lead to death. DIC can occur in : Placenta Abruption, amniotic embolism and Placenta abruption.
_____________________________________________________________________________
IVH (Ethan has Grade III)
An intraventricular hemorrhage (or intraventricular haemorrhage in British English), often abbreviated "IVH," is a bleeding into the brain's ventricular system, where the cerebrospinal fluid is produced and circulates through towards the subarachnoid space. It can result from physical trauma or from hemorrhaging in stroke.
The amount of bleeding varies. IVH is often described in four grades:
NEC
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a medical condition primarily seen in premature infants,[1] where portions of the bowel undergo necrosis (tissue death).
ROP
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), is an eye disease that affects prematurely born babies. It is thought to be caused by disorganized growth of retinal blood vessels which may result in scarring and retinal detachment. ROP can be mild and may resolve spontaneously, but may lead to blindness in serious cases. As such, all preterm babies are at risk for ROP, and very low birth weight is an additional risk factor. Both oxygen toxicity and relative hypoxia (deprivation of oxygen) can contribute to the development of ROP.
ASD : Atrial Septal Defect: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a defect in the septum between the heart’s two upper chambers (atria). The septum is a wall that separates the heart’s left and right sides. Septal defects are sometimes called a “hole” in the heart.
Pulmonary Hypertension : High blood pressure in the arteries, in Ethan case his blood vessel that connects the heart to lungs has narrowed, likely due to his Chronic Lung disease. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood around his body and so one side of the heart is enlarged. Hopefully as he grows and new lung tissue is formed then PH could go away, but it may not. He has medications to control it and will have regular check ups.
I also have a book review website www.thebookreviewuk.weebly.com
http://www.bliss.org.uk/ charity that helps premature babies, lots of information on this site
http://www.4um.com/tutorial/icm/ventilat.htm info on ventilators
http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/ very worthy charity helping keep sick children and their parents together.
Information
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that only occurs during pregnancy. It causes high blood pressure, protein leaks from the kidneys into the urine, and other symptoms may develop (see below). It usually develops sometime after the 20th week of pregnancy. The severity of pre-eclampsia can vary. Serious complications may affect the mother, the baby, or both. The more severe the condition becomes, the greater the risk that complications will develop.
Eclampsia is a type of seizure (convulsion) which is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy. About 1 in 100 women with pre-eclampsia develop eclampsia. So, most women with pre-eclampsia do not progress to have eclampsia. However, a main aim of treatment and care of women with pre-eclampsia is to prevent eclampsia and other possible complications.
Placental Abruption is a serious condition in which the placenta partially or completely separates from the lining of your uterus.
Amniotic-fluid embolism is a rare, but serious and often fatal maternal complication of delivery, of which the cause is unknown but women at more risk if they have placental abruption, abdominal trauma, placenta previa, and forceps delivery. Amniotic fluid embolizes to the maternal circulation, causing tachycardia, hypotension, respiratory failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and often rapid maternal death.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), also known as consumptive coagulopathy, is a pathological activation of blood clotting mechanisms that happens in response to a variety of diseases. DIC leads to the formation of small blood clots inside the blood vessels throughout the body. As the small clots consume coagulation proteins and platelets, normal coagulation is disrupted and abnormal bleeding occurs from the skin (e.g. from sites where blood samples were taken), the digestive tract, the respiratory tract and surgical wounds. The small clots also disrupt normal blood flow to organs which may malfunction as a result. DIC can occur acutely but also on a slower, chronic basis, depending on the underlying problem. It is common in the critically ill, and may participate in the development of multiple organ failure which may lead to death. DIC can occur in : Placenta Abruption, amniotic embolism and Placenta abruption.
_____________________________________________________________________________
IVH (Ethan has Grade III)
An intraventricular hemorrhage (or intraventricular haemorrhage in British English), often abbreviated "IVH," is a bleeding into the brain's ventricular system, where the cerebrospinal fluid is produced and circulates through towards the subarachnoid space. It can result from physical trauma or from hemorrhaging in stroke.
The amount of bleeding varies. IVH is often described in four grades:
- Grade I - bleeding occurs just in the germinal matrix.
- Grade II - bleeding also occurs inside the ventricles.
- Grade III - ventricles are enlarged by the blood.
- Grade IV - there is bleeding into the brain tissues around the ventricles.
NEC
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a medical condition primarily seen in premature infants,[1] where portions of the bowel undergo necrosis (tissue death).
ROP
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), is an eye disease that affects prematurely born babies. It is thought to be caused by disorganized growth of retinal blood vessels which may result in scarring and retinal detachment. ROP can be mild and may resolve spontaneously, but may lead to blindness in serious cases. As such, all preterm babies are at risk for ROP, and very low birth weight is an additional risk factor. Both oxygen toxicity and relative hypoxia (deprivation of oxygen) can contribute to the development of ROP.
ASD : Atrial Septal Defect: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a defect in the septum between the heart’s two upper chambers (atria). The septum is a wall that separates the heart’s left and right sides. Septal defects are sometimes called a “hole” in the heart.
Pulmonary Hypertension : High blood pressure in the arteries, in Ethan case his blood vessel that connects the heart to lungs has narrowed, likely due to his Chronic Lung disease. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood around his body and so one side of the heart is enlarged. Hopefully as he grows and new lung tissue is formed then PH could go away, but it may not. He has medications to control it and will have regular check ups.
I also have a book review website www.thebookreviewuk.weebly.com