Brain injuries that can occur in babies and children include neonatal hemorrhage, anoxic brain injury and stroke. Brain injuries also include:
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is also called Neonatal Encephalopathy. It means brain injury resulting from decreased oxygen or blood flow to the brain for some time.
- Hypoxic means not enough oxygen
- Ischemic means not enough blood flow
- Encephalopathy means brain disorder
There are several causes of HIE, and it may occur during pregnancy, during labor and delivery and after delivery. However, there are times when the exact cause is not found.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
When a baby is born prematurely, the blood vessels in the brain are very fragile and can bleed easily. When this occurs, it’s called an intraventricular hemorrhage. The bleeding will also be described as a grade or category.
- Grade 1 IVH: Bleeding occurs in a small area and has not spread
- Grade 2 IVH: Bleeding is in the area it started and in the ventricles
- Grade 3 IVH: Bleeding has increased to the point where the blood has now caused the ventricles to increase in size
- Grade 4 IVH: Bleeding is in the ventricles and spread into the brain tissue
The most severe complication of IVH is hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in the ventricles. This can cause the ventricles to increase in size and results in increased pressure on the brain.
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
Periventricular Leukomalacia is a softening of the white brain tissue around the ventricles. When PVL happens, there is damage done to the brain resulting in eventual loss of the brain tissue. This damage can lead to poor communication between different parts of the brain.
- “Peri” means “around”
- Ventricular means fluid filled spaces in the brain
- Leuko means white
- Malacia means softening
PVL has many causes and all premature babies are at risk for PVL. Infants with bleeding in the brain (IVH) are at increased risk.
