A Guiding Hand for Families in NICU and Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 97
Glossary
Hearing test: Premature and other
sick babies are at increased risk of
hearing problems. Before going
home, your baby wil probably
will have a hearing test called
a Brainstem Auditory Evoked
Response.
Heatshield: Clear plastic shield
placed over the baby to reduce
heat loss. Used in either an open or
closed incubator.
Heel prick: A small prick in the
baby’s heel, made so that a blood
sample can be obtained for testing
usually for blood gases or blood
glucose levels.
HELLP syndrome: Short for
Hemolysis (destruction of red blood
cells), Elevated Liver enzymes and
Low Platelets. HELLP syndrome
is a severe form of pre-eclampsia
and involves abnormalities in blood
clotting with liver damage and
carries the risk of stroke or even
death.
Hernia (inguinal): A lump under the
skin in a groin area caused by a part
of the intestine protruding through
a fragile part of the abdominal wall.
Hernia (umbilical): At the navel or
umbilicus, a lump under the skin is
caused by a part of the intestine
that protrudes through a fragile
area in the abdominal wall.
Hind milk: Breast milk of a much
higher fat content that follows the
let-down reflex once the baby has
been suckling for a few moments.
Hydrocephalus: A build-up of
cerebrospinal fluid inside the
ventricles of the brain. In premature
babies, hydrocephalus can occur
after a severe intraventricular
haemorrhage (IVH).
Hypoglycaemia: The condition of
having a low level of sugar in the
blood.
I
Incubator/humidicrib/isolette: This
is a special bed where your baby
may be kept. Premature babies
lack the ability to maintain their
body temperature so keeping them
in this special enclosed bed keeps
them warm until they gain some
fat and the ability to hold their own
body temperature.
Infection: The invasion of a person’s
body either internally or externally
and the rapid multiplying growth
of micro-organisms or ‘bugs’. A
bacterial infection is usually fought
with an antibiotic. Viral infections
cannot be treated with an antibiotic.
Intravenous (IV) lines and pump:
The administration of fluids or drugs
through a hollow needle inserted
into a vein.
Intubation: The passing of a small
plastic tube through the mouth into
the baby’s windpipe (trachea) as a
part of the ventilation process.
Isolation: The name for the area
where babies are nursed on their
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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