Artificial respiration for premature infants: Medical facts and reassuring messages for parents
Ali Al-Hassan, a respiratory therapist at Qatif Central Hospital, emphasized that immediate and accurate assessment of newborns' vital signs from the moment of birth is the crucial and fundamental criterion in determining the medical and therapeutic course for premature infants. He stressed that the use of mechanical ventilation by the specialized medical team is a temporary and necessary treatment measure to save lives, and not a sign of hopelessness as some believe.
Intensive care protocols and initial assessment
Al-Hassan explained that the medical protocol for premature infants begins immediately after birth. A multidisciplinary team, including pediatric consultants, respiratory therapists, and qualified nursing staff, conducts a comprehensive and thorough examination of all vital functions. Based on the results of this initial examination, the appropriate medical decision is made, whether to transfer the newborn to the routine nursery for regular monitoring or to call for immediate intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
He explained that medical interventions are flexibly phased according to the severity of the child's condition, starting with providing specific amounts of oxygen to compensate for the deficiency, and progressing to placing the child on advanced mechanical ventilation devices via tracheal tubes or nasal cannulas (CPAP). The child is then immediately transferred to the intensive care unit for close and continuous monitoring of their vital signs around the clock.
Medical context: Why do premature babies need artificial respiration?
Medically speaking, the need for mechanical ventilation in premature infants is often attributed to incomplete lung development, specifically a deficiency of surfactant, a substance that helps the alveoli expand and exchange gases. Historically, this deficiency was a major cause of infant mortality, but with tremendous advancements in neonatal medicine and mechanical ventilation techniques, the chances of survival and full recovery have become very high, making these devices a safe bridge to a normal life.
Correcting misconceptions and messages of reassurance
In addressing common misconceptions, the specialist clarified the belief held by some parents regarding the duration of a child's stay in intensive care, explaining that there is no fixed number or predetermined timeframe. The decision to disconnect life support and discharge the child depends entirely on the individual child's response to treatment and the improvement in their health indicators, which are assessed daily by the medical team.
Al-Hassan concluded his speech by sending a message of reassurance to families, stressing that the child’s connection to the ventilator does not mean the cessation of life or permanent disability, citing many real-life examples and success stories of children who have safely passed this critical stage and fully recovered to resume their normal lives without any complications, which renews hope in the hearts of the parents of children currently hospitalized and confirms the efficiency of the health system in dealing with these delicate cases.
