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The survival rate for premature babies has increased significantly over the past three decades; however, extremely premature infants are prone to neurological complications that doctors currently can't prevent. Five to 15 percent of premature infants develop cerebral palsy and 25 to 50 percent develop cognitive disorders or learning dysfunction. By developing state-of-the-art assessment and treatment programs for the Neurointensive Care Nursery, UCSF is working to change these statistics.

Sophisticated Monitoring

Cerebral function monitoring (CFM) can provide a window into the brain activity of newborns. CFM is used in other nurseries, but typically only when an infant may be having seizures. At our Neurointensive Care Nursery, CFM is a routine part of care.

Neurotherapy

Research shows that cooling the brain and body by a few degrees immediately after birth can help reduce neurological damage in babies who have sustained certain types of brain injury. Our Neurointensive Care Nursery uses this technique in infants who have hypoxic encephalopathy by lowering their temperature with a cooling cap or blanket.

Expert Neuroimaging

Newborns in the nursery are routinely evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using techniques pioneered by Dr. A. James Barkovich, chief of UCSF Pediatric Neuroradiology. Barkovich developed the first MRI-compatible incubator, which has allowed imaging studies to be performed on extremely premature babies who need a carefully controlled environment.

Reducing Stress for Infants

Using a Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP), infants in the Neurointensive Care Nursery are carefully observed to determine if their behaviors suggest they're feeling any stress or discomfort. The information is used to provide an environment that's as comfortable as possible and developmentally appropriate for each baby.