Half pound baby survives

Half pound baby survives

www.ananova.com

The tiny tot, weighing in at just 8.8oz, or 275 grams, recorded the lowest weight for a living birth of a newborn boy, according to doctors at the University of Goettingen Hospital.

He survived thanks to the latest developments in postnatal care.

In most cases, doctors said, it was regarded as impossible for a child with a birth weight below 350 grams to survive.

News of the birth was kept quiet while the boy was in a critical condition but doctors revealed details after announcing that he was no longer in danger.

The little boy was born in June last year in the 25th week of pregn

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As a mother who's daughter weighed only a pound and a half more than this boy, this brings me to tears. It is so wonderful what they can do now days. I was extremely surprised that the boy stayed in the hospital for so long. My daughter was released at 4 pounds here in the U.S. I am also surprised that the boy was so small for a 25 weeker. Most 22 weekers weigh at least a pound so on average I would imagine a 25 weeker should weigh a little more. Maybe I am biased but preemies tend to grow up stronger and more assertive. I know a few including my nephew and others, they are all tough cookies.
I feel for the parents. It is emotionally grueling, but you learn so much and have such a greater respect for the human race You spend so much time at the NICU you feel like you should start paying rent.

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reply to post by calstorm

You spend so much time at the NICU you feel like you should start paying rent.

That would be much cheaper. I can't imagine the fee's that these parents are going to rack up. I hope this baby grows up to live a decent life and this isn't just so the doctors can say "hey, look what we did!" only to grant the baby a short life of torture.

That is so beautiful - this tiny person lived, and that tiny person lived!

That is so great!!!

reply to post by Karlhungis


I don't know about all states but my daughter qualified for CCS

California Children Services (CCS) is California's medical program for treating children with physically handicapping conditions.

which paid the bill. All preemies whose parents make under $40k a year qualify.

As far as what you said about the child being tortured, maybe you should look at statistics. Less than 3% of children are ever abused by their biological parents. The majority of children are abused by adoptive or foster parents. Most news articles conveniently leave out the fact that the child was adopted.A huge conspiracy IMHO. Also when a child and their family spends that much time in the NICU the nurses are pretty good on picking up on warning signs. I saw it happen.

Originally posted by kawacat
That is so beautiful - this tiny person lived, and that tiny person lived!

That is so great!!!

Yes it is wonderful, but the odds are against this child living a normal life. Many prems suffer a life filled with a never ending array of medical ailments and learning difficulties which is a shame.

Medicine still has some way to go in replicating the benefits of a full term within the womb.

IRM

reply to post by calstorm


The torture that I am talking about isn't regarding parental abuse. A 1/2lb baby has a pretty good chance of having some serious medical issues throughout his or her life. The torture I mean, is will the baby be able to grow up and live a life at all and what kind of life will it lead? How much medical assistance will it need? What is the life span?

First reaction is that it's wonderful, but deeper thought has me wondering if it's really such a good thing in the long run. The more tecknically advanced we get, the more we lives we save that otherwise nature
would have not, the greater the human population grows.
Not just babies but more elderly folk living longer = more resources required. Likewise Accidents, where lives are saved that once would have perished.
Eventually we must the fact that human population cannot expand indefinately. We defy nature despite being part of it.
This is not to say that as a parent, I wouldnt want my child to survive also,
I suppose you can shout Hypocrit, as you like.
But being human means I can be of two minds on the same subject, go figure.

Actually he has a high percentage of living a completely normal and healthy life. Premature babies rarely suffer from complications. Most complications are ones they would have still had if born full term. Long term oxygen use can cause vision problems but most Dr.s are leaning towards steroid use to mature the lungs avoiding that problem. I was fortunate enough to know that my chances of carrying to term were slim to none so I was injected with rounds of steroids so my daughter despite being 2lbs was born with fully mature lungs. I wish I still owned my book that had the statistics of complications in preemies, but i do know I have a healthy 6 year old girl whom never had any complications from being premature.
Looked it up
complete complications list

# Complications of the premature infant: * Neonatal jaundice * Improperly developed lungs * Retinopathy of prematurity

Neonatal jaundice is easily treated with light therapy and Retinopathy of prematurity is the vision problems I mentioned. Many children need glasses even those not born premature.

My grand daughter was born at 26 weeks weighing just 880 grams, apart from needing oxygen and a monitor for a few months she was very healthy, she's now 10 and is as normal as any other kid.