Glossary of Common NICU Terms

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F

Fontanelle
The soft spot on the top of the head. At birth the skull is made of up of several plates of bone; it is not a single, solid bone. The spaces between the bone plates allow the skull to expand as the brain grows. Where four of these bony skull plates come together it forms a soft spot in the skull called a fontanelle. There is no bone in these soft spots, making these areas softer than the surrounding areas. There are usually two soft spots in the skull of a newborn, the anterior and the posterior fontanelle; both usually close by about 18 months of age.

G

Gastroesophageal Reflex (GER)
Contents on the stomach coming back up into the esophagus, which occurs when the junction between the esophagus and the stomach is not completely developed or is abnormal. GER is very common among preemies. In some babies, reflux can irritate the lining of the esophagus and cause a form of "heartburn" which causes them to become irritable and uncomfortable. Mild forms of GER are common, require no treatment, and go away on their own over a period of months. However, it is necessary to evaluate how severe the GER is and whether or not it requires treatment.
Treatment of GER may include keeping the baby upright, thickening of the feedings, giving medication to reduce stomach acid, and sometimes giving medication to increase the ability of the stomach to contract.
Gavage Feeding
Feeding a baby through a nasogastric (NG) tube. Also called tube feeding.
Gestation
The period of development from the time of fertilization of the egg, until birth. Normal gestation is 40 weeks; a premature baby is one born at or before the 37th week of pregnancy.
Gram (GM, gm, G)
The basic unit of weight in the metric system (28 grams = one ounce).
Grasping Reflex
A newborn's reflexive grab at an object, such as a finger, when it touches her hand. This grasp may be strong enough to support the infant's own weight, but doesn't last very long. This reflex lasts until a baby is 3 or 4 months old. Newborns have many naturally occurring reflexes.

H

Hearing Screen
Test to examine the hearing of a newborn infant. All newborn infants born in Connecticut have a hearing screen to be sure they are able to hear.
Heart Murmur
A noise heard between beats of the heart. Innocent, functional heart murmurs are common and often heard in infants and toddlers.
Heel Stick
Pricking the baby's heel to obtain small amounts of blood for testing.
Hemaglobin
A material in red blood cells that carries oxygen and contains iron.
High Frequency Ventilation
A special form of mechanical ventilation, designed to help reduce complications to preemies' delicate lungs.
High Frequency Jet Ventilator
A special ventilator capable of breathing for a baby at rates exceeding those of a normal ventilator (420 BPM, or Breaths Per Minute).
High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilator
A special ventilator capable of breathing for a baby at rates exceeding those of a normal ventilator (for example, 120 - 1,320 BPM, or Breaths Per Minute).
Hyaline Membrane Disease (HMD)
Another name for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
Hydrocephalus
Abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles of the brain. It is sometimes known as "water on the brain." Within the center of our brains each of us has two fluid-filled areas called cerebral ventricles. Cerebrospinal fluid is made within these ventricles and distributed over the surface of the brain and spinal cord. When the normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is interrupted, fluid can accumulate within the ventricles. This fluid puts pressure on the brain, forcing it against the skull and enlarging the ventricles. In infants, this fluid accumulation often results in bulging of the fontanelle (soft spot) and abnormally rapid head growth. The head enlarges because the bony plates making up the skull have not yet fused together. In preemies the most common cause of hydrocephalus is intraventricular hemorrhage.
Hyperbilirubinemia
Another name for jaundice.

I

IDEA
An acronym for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides grants to states to support services, including evaluation and assessment, for young children who have or are at risk of developmental delays/disabilities. Birth To Three is a program under IDEA.
Idiopathic
Something which happens spontaneously or from an unknown cause.
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
A written statement for an infant or toddler developed by a team of people who have worked with the child and the family. The IFSP describes the child's development levels, family information, major outcomes expected to be achieved for the child and family, the services the child will be receiving, when and where the child will receive these services, and the steps to be taken to support the transition of the child to another program.
Indomethiacin
A drug sometimes given to close a patent ductus arteriosus.
I & O (Input & Output)
Refers to the amount of fluids given by oral feedings and/or by IV, and the amount of fluid excreted in the urine or stools.
Ileal Perforation
Puncture or hole in the last part of the small bowel (ileum). This usually occurs spontaneously in extremely premature babies. Its cause is unknown. Often an ileal perforation requires surgery to form an ileostomy and to repair the hole in the bowel. Some NICUs have reported success simply by putting a piece of drainage tubing into the abdomen to drain out the infection and let the perforation seal on its own.
Incubator
Another name for an isolette.
Intracranial Hemorrhage
Bleeding within the skull. Bleeding most often occurs within the ventricles of premature infants, but it can occur anywhere within or on the outside of the brain.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
A condition in which the fetus doesn't grow as big as it should while in the uterus. These babies are small for their gestational age, and their birth weight is below the 10th percentile. IUGR can be caused by decreased blood flow to the placenta, maternal hypertension, drug use, smoking, poor weight gain, dieting during pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, alcoholism, multiple fetuses, abnormalities of the cord or placenta, prolonged pregnancy, chromosomal abnormalities, or a small placenta.
Intravenous (IV)
A catheter (small tube) placed directly through the skin into the vein in a baby's hand, arm, foot, leg or scalp. Nutrients, fluids and medications can flow through this tube. Using an IV is a common route for delivering fluids to newborns and other patients. Babies' veins are very fragile, so the location of the IV may need to be changed frequently.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
Bleeding into the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces) within the brain. All of us have two small, fluid filled ventricles in the center of our brains. These ventricles manufacture cerebrospinal fluid. The fluid-filled space within those ventricles are called the intraventricular space. The areas just outside of those ventricles are the periventricular areas. Adjacent to the outer wall of the ventricle is the germinal matrix, an area of immature nerve cells and tender blood vessels. As the preterm baby matures, the germinal matrix tissues migrate out into the substance of the brain, and the germinal matrix gradually disappears.
The tender blood vessels within the germinal matrix can rupture and bleed; this is called a germinal matrix hemorrhage or grade I intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The bleeding, if severe, can lead to bleeding within the ventricle itself, a grade II IVH. If there is a lot of bleeding, the ventricles can become enlarged and swollen by the blood, which is a grade III IVH. If the bleeding either involves or secondarily injures the periventricular brain tissue, it is a grade IV IVH or IVH with extension of the hemorrhage outside of the ventricular system into the brain substance.
Intubation
Inserting a tube into the trachea (windpipe) through the nose or mouth to allow air to reach the lungs.
Isolette
Also known as an incubator, an isolette is a clear plastic, enclosed bassinet used to keep prematurely born infants warm. Preemies often loose heat very quickly unless they are put in a protected thermal environment. The temperature of the isolette can be adjusted to keep the infant warm regardless of the infant's size or room temperature.

J

Jaundice
Also known as Hyperbilirubinemia. Jaundice comes from the accumulation of a natural waste product, bilirubin. As red blood cells and other tissues are replaced in the body, the waste products of their breakdown are normally eliminated by the liver. Bilirubin has a yellow color, and when the levels are high it stains the skin and other tissues.
A little jaundice can be expected in all newborns. If the jaundice is higher than usual, it can usually be treated with phototherapy (special lights). Phototherapy is so effective in helping the liver excrete bilirubin that elevated levels are rarely a problem. Prematurely born infants may have elevated bilirubin levels for several weeks.

Glossary: A–E | F–J | K–O | P–T | U–Z