Diaphragmatic excursion and extubation success
Knowing when to extubate an ELBW is never an easy task. Much has been written about extubation checklists including such measures as mean airway pressure minimums and oxygen thresholds as well as trials of pressure support at low rates. The fact remains that no matter...
Another dogma bites the dust? Two vs three hour feeding intervals for VLBW infants.
This could turn into a book one day I suppose but I have become interested in chalenging some of my long held beliefs these days. Recently I had the honour of presenting a webinar on "Dogmas of Neonatology" for the Indian Academy of Pediatrics which examined a few...
During COVID19 where have all the other viruses gone?
Regardless of where you live, you may have noticed that this year's flu and RSV season has not been as bad as in previous years. I recall early in the pandemic hearing that Australia had virtually no flu season at all this year. The question therefore is where did...
What are Human Milk Oligosaccharides & How Can They Prevent NEC?
Any regular reader of this blog will know that human milk and the benefits derived from its consumption is a frequent topic covered. As the evidence continues to mount it is becoming fairly clear that the greater the consumption of mother's own milk the better the...
Single Patient Room NICUs: Time to Put Parents Minds At Ease
Some time ago Nick Hall from Graham's Foundation posted the following question on Linkedin: Private room vs open bay for the NICU. Can always get a quote from a parent saying it is great but....? At what cost? Impact on staff? Is parent time in those NICUs greater...
Reducing severe IVH/PVL through exclusive human milk diets. Is this the real thing?
Anyone who works in the NICU is more than familiar with the sad moment when you find out an infant has suffered a severe IVH (either grade III or IV) and the disclosure to the family. The family is in a state of shock with the fear of ventricular drainage a reality...
Should thresholds for acceptable blood sugars be lowered?
My colleague Dr. Marks and I spent a great deal of time and energy working on the recently published CPS statement on mangement of hypoglycemia which I shared in the post Its Here. New Advice From The CPS On Managing Hypoglycemia For Newborns At Risk. Shortly after...
Azithromycin for reduction of BPD. Smoke and mirrors or the real deal?
This past week I was very appreciative of efforts by readers on my Facebook page and Twitter accounts who were able to secure a copy of an article that really grabbed my attention. I could only go by the abstract at the time but the post suggesting that the use of...
Who are all these people taking care of my baby?
Neonatology is a team sport if there ever was one. It can be very confusing though to families as they go along their journey. The descriptions below are not meant to be exhaustive and if you are functioning in one of these roles and would like be to add something to...
A Whiff of Breast Milk Goes A Long Way
If you have been following this blog for some time you would know that discussions about breastfeeding or breast milk are not an uncommon topic here. Literature exits already examining the impact of consumed breast milk on such outcomes as BPD and ROP. Much of our...