As PRMENRS always says....

Published

Never trust a 35 weeker!

Not as Mature as They Seem: Caring for Near-Term Infants

Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks gestation are at risk for complications.

http://news.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070104/PEDIATRICS/70104006/1015/PEDIATRICS

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

No kidding....we just sent one out for ecmo....he is one sick puppy! Came back from NBN with GFR and went down the tubes pretty dang fast! He was horrid even on the nitric! He is on ecmo now....poor kid!

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Specializes in NICU.

Yep, right before I went on leave we had twin boys born around 35 weeks - mom was induced without checking for lung maturity. They were the sickest kids on the unit for a few days there - went from a little RDS/TTN to full-fledged PPHN within 24 hours of each other. And for the same nurse, on consecutive evening shifts!!! Both were on nitric, one had chest tubes, the whole shebang.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Geez, Gompers, that's going a little overboard!! Poor things. I hoped somebody has a little "chat" w/OB!!

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Specializes in NICU.
Geez, Gompers, that's going a little overboard!! Poor things. I hoped somebody has a little "chat" w/OB!!

I hope so, too! Dunno for sure though - they were transported in to us from a community hospital...

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
I hope so, too! Dunno for sure though - they were transported in to us from a community hospital...

I have seen the same thing in the teaching hospital where I work...."oh, mom got her 2 doses of betamethasone..." Uh, that may or may not do any good, people.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I have seen a 37 weeker get RDS. So it's not out of the realm of possibilities for term kids to get real honest-to-goodness RDS.

I am old enough to remember the natural course of that disease, and it's not very nice. They get worse and worse and worse for the first 48 hours and if they're still alive, they usually start getting better. Grim.

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Specializes in NICU.

Haha, that was the first thing I thought of when I saw that article :-)

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Hey, when I got to work last night - in WELL BABY nursery - we had two kids under 35 weeks. One was 34 on the nose, the other was by dates 36+ but Dubowitzed to 34 and change. I kept waiting for them both to crump, but they didn't. At least not on my watch. People forget those kids can turn on a dime.

I tell ya, if this keeps up, we'll have 32-weekers in there soon. :uhoh21:

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Specializes in NICU.

Just last week we had a 35 weeker come up from well baby nursery because he kept grunting. Next day he had a chest tube and was on the vent. You never know!

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

It does my heart good to think I taught you "kids" something! ;) And, believe me, you have taught me lots, too. :loveya:

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Kids?

With all due respect (which is a lot), I probably have more gray hair than you do!

:) :D

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