What Special Care Does A Premature Baby Need?

There is a key point: Premature children are more likely to have infections because they have been in the womb for less time and have received less antibodies from the mother, so they need more care.

In this article, titled: What Special Care Does a Premature Baby Need? We will summarize some characteristics and care you should take with these children. The advice presented is taken from the Practical Guide for Parents, aged 0 to 3 years old , which was prepared by experts from the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP).

A premature baby needs a lot of affection and attention

It is true that preterm babies weigh less, spent less time in the mother’s womb and therefore gained less weight, but this is not their main problem.

One of the most important aspects is that premature newborns are born with their organs immature and therefore are not prepared to assume the functions that life outside the womb requires. The more premature a child is, the more problems their organs will have to adapt and that is why they need to be hospitalized.

In some cases they require intensive care because they need the help of drugs and devices to make up for the immaturity of their organs.

It is also necessary to know that antibodies protect from infections and as already said they have lower levels of these. In addition, they also have other immature defense systems against infection.

beware of the flu

As soon as the child is discharged from the medical center, it is necessary to have certain provisions at home. Some children have been hospitalized for a long time and when they get home, many relatives and friends want to visit them.

It is possible that some of these visits, whether adults or children, may have respiratory infections, which for them is of no importance, however for a premature baby it can be something very serious that requires a new admission to the hospital.

All infections are important, but since the organ that gets stronger later is the lung, respiratory infections can be especially serious for premature babies. So you have to try to keep the number of visits as low as possible, and it’s even preferable that they see you outside the home. It is easier to transmit an infection indoors than in an open one.

It is very important that no one touches the child without washing their hands. If the mother or father has the flu they will use a mask when carrying the child. Brothers should be taught to wash their hands whenever they touch their little brother. They should not be stopped from touching it, but taught how to do it.

For some premature children a flu vaccine is recommended. Sometimes, it is also recommended that all family members are vaccinated to prevent the child from getting the flu, as it can be a very serious illness for them.

WHO recommendations

Experts from the United Nations, medical institutions and field organizations say there are cost-effective and proven ways to care for premature babies that could save at least three-quarters of babies in the developing world. These include:

• Prenatal steroid injections for mothers in preterm labor, which cost $1 per injection.

This helps to develop immature lungs in the fetus and prevent breathing problems; however, in low-income countries, they are available and are given to 10% of patients who need them. This intervention alone could save an estimated 400,000 babies’ lives each year.

• “Kangaroo Mother Method” where the baby is kept in contact with the mother’s skin to provide warmth.

Heat is very important for premature newborns. The kangaroo mother method facilitates frequent breastfeeding and provides constant maternal supervision for the baby. This intervention could save 450,000 lives a year.

• Antiseptic cream to prevent umbilical cord infection.
• Antibiotics to prevent and fight infections that are a major cause of neonatal death.