A reminder! Follow-up care is essential for high-risk babies' growth

Experts from Yiyang Central Hospital said that high-risk babies are newborns whose mothers have various high-risk factors that may affect their physical and mental development before pregnancy, during pregnancy, at birth, after birth, and after discharge from hospital .

1. What are the common high-risk factors?

1. Maternal factors

The mother has a history of hypertension or diabetes; the mother has a serious infection (such as rubella virus, cytomegalovirus); the mother has a history of sexually transmitted diseases (such as syphilis, HIV); the mother has a history of smoking, alcoholism, and drug abuse during pregnancy, etc.

2. Abnormal pregnancy

History of abnormal pregnancy and delivery; history of difficult labor; multiple pregnancy; use of sedatives and analgesics during delivery, etc.

3. Abnormalities at birth

Premature babies, babies small for gestational age, and babies with macrosomia; various congenital malformations or genetic metabolic diseases; history of asphyxia and hypoxia or even cerebral hemorrhage at birth, Apgar score less than 7 points; history of pathological jaundice and infectious diseases in the neonatal period.

2. What abnormalities may occur in high-risk children?

1. Abnormal physical development: such as malnutrition, dwarfism, obesity, etc.;

2. Motor development delay/disorder;

3. Speech delay;

4. Intellectual development disorder;

5. Hearing and vision abnormalities;

6. Developmental and behavioral abnormalities: such as autism, ADHD, etc.;

7. Secondary epilepsy.

3. How to follow up and manage high-risk children?

1. Follow-up time

Check once a month within 6 months (at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, and 6 months);

After 6 months, check every 2 months (8 months, 10 months, and 12 months);

After 12 months of age, check every 3 to 6 months (15 months, 18 months, 21 months, and 24 months).

2. Follow-up content

Height, weight and head circumference measurement (to determine physical development);

Neurobehavioral assessment (to determine the development of brain function);

Eye care and ear care;

Feeding guidance, disease prevention and early development guidance for high-risk infants;

Others: blood tests and other examinations (follow-up according to the specific situation of the high-risk infant).

4. Warning Sign Screening Form

Parents can refer to the following table. If your child shows any corresponding abnormalities, please seek medical attention in time for professional evaluation.

References

[1] Chinese Journal of Pediatrics Editorial Committee, Neonatology Group, Chinese Society of Pediatrics. Expert consensus on classification and grading management of high-risk neonates[J]. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, 2023.61(10):869-873.

[2] Infant and Child Development Professional Committee of China Eugenics Association. Expert consensus on early intervention for behavioral neurodevelopment of high-risk newborns[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care, 2022, 30(3): 233-236

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Liu Lin from Yiyang Central Hospital

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(Edited by YT)