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Maternal (Expert Forum)
EEG, Mental Retardation, Breathing Problems, Prematurity?
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
EEG, Mental Retardation, Breathing Problems, Prematurity?
by Sarah__0, Apr 02, 1998 12:00AM
I just took my son in for a eeg, he is three months old. He has problems breathing and is on an apnea monitor. I took him to the doctor this morning and she told me to get an eeg done to see if maybe he wasn't having invisible convusions that were causing the apnea. After coming home I was told that they did the test to see if he mentally retarded. He was six weeks premature. Does his prematurity cause slower development, would the Dr. order a eeg for mental retardation, and could "invisible" convusions cause apnea? Also what are the sign of retardation at this early stage of life?
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Dear Sarah,
You have several questions and I will try to answer them in order as I understand the information that you provided and your concerns. First you indicated that your baby was born 6 weeks premature and is on an apnea monitor. I assume that he may have been in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after his birth and they sent him home on the apnea monitor and trained you how to manage it. I am not sure whether the doctor you took your son to on April 2, 1998 is a general pediatrician or a specialist. What can be seen on an EEG is if there is any convulsive activity going on in the baby's brain. Convulsions can lead to apneic spells. However, an EEG does not provide any information whatsoever about mental retardation. Having been born six weeks early means that your little guy has some catching up to do. Because he was delivered six weeks early he is really now actually (if he had gone full term) only about six week old in terms of his post womb maturity. So he should be doing the things that six week old babies do, not three month old babies do. Generally a baby born this prematurely will catch up in about one and one half to two years and will be perfectly normal. So for a little guy his age he should be able to gaze at you, smile, and begin to focus on near objects. For the time being is your baby is eating, and sleeping well, happpy and alert when awake, and responsive to you it sounds like things are fine. Each baby is individual in the exact rate of development. If you have questions about what the baby is doing and does it seem on target for his age you should consult your pediatrician. If you have questions about the EEG and potential for seizures you might want to visit a pediatric neurologist. I you would like to make an appointment with a pediatric neurologist here at Henry Ford Hospital you can inquire about an appointment by calling (313) 876-3121. I hope that you find this information helpful. Best wishes.
This material is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered a formal medical evaluation. If you have specific questions, please contact your primary physician.
hfhs. rn-dh
*keywords: newborn care, prematurity, apnea, EEG, convulsions
