low birth weight babies

First comment 150 words no plagio
DQ 1

The effects that low birth weight babies can be short term or long term, these effects may include health and developmental problems, according to The National Academic Press, n.d. They further continued that these babies are prone to developing complications such as acute respiration, gastrointestinal, immunological, central nervous system, hearing and vision problems. The vision and hearing problems may go on to be long term, in addition they may have cognitive, behavioral, social, emotional, disabilities, health and growth problems.

This can prove to be stressful on the family, mentally, emotionally and financially. It may also have implications on the community as it relates to the insurance companies. The hospital cost for a baby born with low birth weight is more expensive than for a baby who was not a low birth weight baby. According to the American Public Health Association, 2016, low birth babies are at a risk of dying within the first year of life. Hence parents tend to be overprotective and tends to get anxious when the become ill. Children who ends up with disability may cause additional expense as they will require special treatments example special schooling.

The number of low birth weight babies is influenced by racial, social and ethnic disparities. According to the National Academic Press, n.d., the highest rates are is found among the Hispanic-African American and the lowest among the Asian and Pacific Islanders women. They further went on to say that there are some factors such as environmental exposures, medical conditions, infertility treatment, some of which are present among women of lower socioeconomic or minority status, are more prone to having low birth weight babies.

Some comorbidities associated with low birth weight babies include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, National Academic Press, n.d.

A support group is the Parent Partnered for Preemies. This group involve parents of premature babies who have transitioned from the hospital to home, these parents’ partners with other parent whose babies were recently admitted to the hospital. They offer the new parents emotional support and share their experiences with them with the hope of alleviating some of their anxieties.

http://www.northside.com/medical_services/maternity_support_ppp.aspx

Reference

American Public Health Association, (2016). Reducing Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Preterm and Low Birthweight Babies. Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy

National Academic Press, (n.d.), Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/11622/chapter/2

SECOND COMMENT 150 WORDS NO PLAGIO

DQ 1

With the current technological evolution, there is an expressive increase of survival rate among very low birth weight newborns with birth weights less than 1500g. This later brings up the long-term neuropsychomotor development issues especially during school integration period. Compared with the normal birth weight babies, very low birth weight babies face a 2-3-fold greater risk for visual and hearing impairment, speech delays and attention disorders. They may have poor feeding and growth, respiratory complications, and face neurocognitive difficulties.

In the US, nearly 500,000 infants, or 11.7%of all live births, are born preterm (<37 weeks gestation) each year. Preterm usually have prolonged hospital stay and this eventually leads to family stress financially and in terms of time wastage.

Parents to the low birth weight babies must take more unpaid hours at work to take care of the infant. This in turn affects the family’s source of income which also reflects later in family upkeep, which keeps dwindling with time. When parents are unable to meet their financial requirements, they end up borrowing heavily to take care of the family and the more expenses that come up with the low birth weight babies who have extra needs.

Increased debt brings about unsafe home environment and social isolation. This is because parents stay away from the peers, other family members and even friends to avoid stigmatization and transfer of own burdens to other people. The involved parents end up in constant depression which affects their health eventually.

Extremely low birth weight babies usually associated with many comorbidities. Almost 40,000 infants in the United States are affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Common complications associated with RDS and its therapy include air leak syndromes, chronic lung disease or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Necrotizing syndrome, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, prone to infections.

SSI Benefits for infants, disability benefits for premature babies or low birth weight called “presumptive disability”. Payments are based on the severity of the condition and the evidence available; this is not based on one’s financial need. Parents with very low birth weight babies need great financial support because of their huge financial needs and the costs involved. Grahams foundation support program helps families meet their unique needs while in Nicu and transitioning at their homes once discharged, they also have trained preemie parent mentors available 24/7 via phone and email.

References

Green, s. (2018) Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice retrieved from

https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2018/health-assessment_foundations-for-effective-practice_1e.php

Graham’s Foundation: Supporting Parents of Preemies retrieved from

https://grahamsfoundation.org