As soon as the baby is born, it is examined by doctors. PEP in newborns is one of the most common diagnoses today. Often this inscription appears in the child's card, but parents do not receive proper explanation what to do.
What is PEP?
The abbreviation PEP means perinatal encephalopathy . If you translate the name from the scientific language into a simple language, it turns out that the child has brain disorders that occur during development in the womb or at birth. But a specific explanation of how these violations were obtained, and what kind of character they have, such a diagnosis does not. Under the name of PEP can hide as a serious disease of the nervous system, and the simple aspiration of the pediatrician to be reinsured.
More often the defeat of the nervous system of the child occurs due to oxygen starvation of the brain or improper blood supply. Also, the violation is possible because of an injury during childbirth.
The diagnosis of PET in newborns is often made by a pediatrician on the basis of clinical symptoms:
- impaired behavior: excessive lethargy, or, conversely, activity;
- frequent, strong, prolonged crying for no apparent reason;
- abundant and frequent regurgitation, often a fountain, sometimes before meals, which can not be explained by simple overeating;
- weight loss;
- prematurity;
- complications during pregnancy (anemia, umbilical cord entanglement or knot, intrauterine infection, etc.);
- trauma during childbirth;
- violation of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract;
- tremor of the chin.
Young parents should remember that the symptoms are important if they are repeated. That is, if the child once vyrgnul or a little pokapriznichal - this is probably not a cause for concern. But if the symptoms are systematic, it is necessary to say this to the doctor.
After the pediatrician saw the risk of PEP in a child , he sends the baby for an examination to a neurologist. Further, the doctor prescribes procedures, and sometimes medicines.
Treatment of PET in newborns
In perinatal encephalopathy three main stages are distinguished:
- Acute period (from birth to 1 month).
- The recovery period (from 1 month to 2 years for preterm infants and up to 1 year for term infants).
- The result of the disease.
Treatment depends on the stage of the PET. In the first month, medical treatment is effective, at the second stage physiotherapy is most often used. Massage with PEP in newborns is one of the most effective means of restoring the nervous system. But it must be done by a professional using special techniques.
Also, the use of medications and procedures depends on the specific illness of the child. PEP is a collected concept, uniting many different violations, not all of them are really dangerous.
There is a risk group for PEP in newborns, it includes children who had complications during the birth. There are no definite time criteria for oxygen starvation of the brain, which causes complications. It happens that doctors enter the diagnosis of a baby in the baby's card because the baby is at risk, even if the child has no obvious symptoms.
Consequences of PET in newborns
If perinatal encephalopathy is detected in time and an appropriate treatment is started, there may not be any consequences in the future. With unqualified treatment, there may be delays in speech and motor development, hyperactivity,
PEP is a very vague diagnosis, it can be hiding various diseases, so a qualified doctor should prescribe the treatment. Often, doctors do not rush to explain to parents what it is: PEP in newborns, which causes young moms and dads to panic. Do not rush to get upset, perhaps your baby needs additional advice from a qualified neurologist. The main thing is that the parents are next to the baby and are ready to help him, which means that together they can cope with the disease.