prematurity

Assessing Respiratory Stability in Infants Hospitalized with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Assessing Respiratory Stability in Infants Hospitalized with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD

The Behavioral Signs of Respiratory Instability Scale is a valid, reliable measure of respiratory status and developmental ability. In a new study, researchers at Nationwide Children’s evaluated the Behavioral Signs of Respiratory Instability (BSRI) Scale, which was developed as an objective measure of developmental capacity of infants with severe forms of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The…

Preterm Birth Increases Health Vulnerabilities of Babies With Down Syndrome
Preterm Birth Increases Health Vulnerabilities of Babies With Down Syndrome 1024 624 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

Babies with Down syndrome who are born preterm have higher prenatal morbidity and mortality rates than those in babies with Down syndrome born at term, suggesting pediatricians can lower their risk threshold for certain screenings or interventions. Compared with age-matched neonates without Down syndrome, babies with Down syndrome are more likely to experience developmental delay,…

Featured Researcher — Jonathan Slaughter, MD, MPH
Featured Researcher — Jonathan Slaughter, MD, MPH 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Jonathan Slaughter, MD, MPH, neonatologist and principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, works to identify best practices and reduce treatment variation to improve neonatal clinical care and outcomes. His career took off when, after casually observing practice variation across the institutions where he received training, he noticed that preterm…

Risk Stratification in Infants With Primary Pulmonary Vein Stenosis
Risk Stratification in Infants With Primary Pulmonary Vein Stenosis 1024 681 Mary Bates, PhD
sleeping infant

Categorizing infants with pulmonary vein stenosis into stable and progressive groups could help inform treatment. Primary pulmonary vein stenosis is a rare, often lethal, cardiac disease. It is challenging to treat, as the disease can be progressive in some patients but not others. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s describe outcomes among preterm infants…

Timing Steroids to Maximize Lung Benefit and Avoid Brain Harm in Premature Infants
Timing Steroids to Maximize Lung Benefit and Avoid Brain Harm in Premature Infants 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
Nurse caring for infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Treating infants early may decrease risk of lung disease with no added risk of neurodevelopmental impairment. Steroids are used to treat extremely premature babies with respiratory failure, yet they can be associated with delays in brain development. A recent study looked at the age of first steroid administration and the risks of lung disease and neurodevelopmental impairment…

Can We Prevent Future Language Delays in the NICU?
Can We Prevent Future Language Delays in the NICU? 150 150 Abbie Miller

Researchers investigate the use of event related potentials to measure the effects of mother’s voice exposure on speech sound differentiation. Preterm infants are at high risk for neurosensory impairments and developmental delays, including hearing loss, which may have lasting consequences. Compared to babies born at term, preterm infants are twice as likely to have a…

Small Trial of Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation in Toddlers Born Preterm Points to Possible Therapeutic Intervention
Small Trial of Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation in Toddlers Born Preterm Points to Possible Therapeutic Intervention 1024 575 Abbie Miller
Color close up image of young baby girl looking at hanging toys

Researchers show that supplementation of omega fatty acids may improve symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder in toddlers who were born very preterm. Researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital have shown that omega fatty acid supplements may improve autism spectrum disorder symptoms in toddlers who were born very preterm (<29 weeks gestation). The study was published in The Journal…

Somali-Born Women Have Lowest Preterm Birth Rate in Ohio
Somali-Born Women Have Lowest Preterm Birth Rate in Ohio 1024 575 Kevin Mayhood
Photo of equipment for premature infants

Researchers hope the immigrants can teach them how to reduce the rates of prematurity in the general population. Year after year, studies have found that non-Hispanic white women have the lowest preterm birth rate in Ohio, but new research found a different trend. Somali immigrants had a 5.9 percent preterm birth rate in the state…