Brendan hasnt been diagnosed with any health issues. He had many after his birth at 30 weeks, including Hyaline Membrane Disease which required ventilation and CPAP. I was able to receive the full dose of steroids prior to birth (PPROM at 28 weeks)
Since his birth we've had no hospital re-admissions for sicknesses *touch wood*
We are still doing eye checks, his next one is in oct.
The biggest thing for us is developmental delays, but they are minor compared to the health issues he could have.
My brother was born at 33 weeks - had a hole in his heart (apparently common that early) but it closed up on its own and he's been healthy as a horse ever since... he's 8 in August. The only thing we have ever been able to attribute to his being prem was a slowness to ride his bicycle without training wheels - apparently being prem can cause very minor learning-to-balance setbacks. But that wasn't even a definite link - I'm sure there are kids out there that aren't prem that take longer to learn the balancing that bike-riding requires.
I think it is a very individual thing? No way of knowing if your child will develop health issues later on, but statistically I believe it is more likely for prem babies.
My neice and nephew (twins) were born at 30 weeks. They have asthma, but so do all their siblings (including their sisters who are another set of twins born at 36 weeks and one other sister) and more importantly, so do their parents. I would think family history is a big factor here too.
My neice (the 30-weeker) has severe immune deficiency, but as far as I'm aware this isn't attributed to her early birth.
I know one little guy born at 25 weeks, he has chronic lung disease, which was diagnosed not long before he went home from hospy.
I also know one born at 26 weeks, who is fine, and one born at 27 weeks, also fine.
Shades made a good point about the balance and coordination issues. It comes from a lack of core strength because the baby spends time lying down, rather than all curled up, so those core muscles develop differently.
DD is now in hospital - has been since Tuesday. She has RSV (a respiratory virus common amongst those aged 2 and under, and apparently more so in prem babies) - but in saying that 1 in 16 kids will get it - and it's caused bronchiolitis, unfortunately.
She'd been displaying signs of high fever (around 39 - 40 degrees), very uninterested in food/ bottle - but would have watered down juice in small doses, and had a horrible cough. (Hence the reason for my initial post)..
DF took her to the GP who said 'off to the hospital' to get her oxygen levels checked....etc etc and she ended up needing to be put on oxygen, and they are only just slowing weaning her off of it now..
I have since found out babies - not just prem - are more suspectible to this, and it won't cause an ongoing health issue...so I'm not so paranoid about it anymore...
I'm all for immunisations and wish the government would approve one for RSV to stop it from going to other kids and babies....
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I really hope she is all better soon and home with you where she belongs.
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