Latest Developments to Aid in Infant Medical Care

infant medicine

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Did you know that the United States has an infant mortality rate of 5.6 per 1,000 births? While this might seem like a low number, it’s higher than many other countries that have access to the same resources. 

As the years go on, scientists and researchers develop new medical technology and advancements. Infant medicine is delicate and requires special consideration. 

So what are some of the most recent developments in medicine and medical device development? Let’s talk about it. Read on to learn more. 

Ultrasound-Guided Central Vascular Access

Achieving a central line in infants and neonates has always been problematic. Previous technology and methods were time-consuming and often resulted in complications. 

Now, with the existence of ultrasound-guided central vascular access, it’s easier and safer to cannulate infants and neonates. 

The ultrasound operator is able to get an accurate placement. They can check for complications both before and after cannulation. It takes a highly qualified and trained ultrasound technician to make this technology as useful as possible, but it yields greater possibilities for neonatal health.

Read more about the benefits of ultrasound guidance here.

Hospital Robots

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists started developing better and more effective technology for remote medicine. This has changed the lives of many people who were unable to leave their homes for medical care. It’s also enabled hospitals to use robots for infant care. 

Not all infants are born in hospitals that have neonatal specialists. This means that pre-term infants don’t have access to the specialized care that they may need in order to survive.

With hospital robots and telemedicine services, specialists from around the world are able to “phone in” to offer care. They can instruct hospital staff and help with diagnosis and treatment. 

In a perfect world, all hospitals would have fully-equipped NICUs. For the current moment, however, telemedicine “robots” make a huge difference.

Smart Mattresses 

Pre-term babies can not often regulate their own body temperatures (though this depends on how premature the baby is). This is why premature babies spend time in incubators. 

Now, new advancements in infant technology allow for greater temperature control and monitoring. “Smart mattresses”  can detect small fluctuations in temperature that may be significant to the infant. They can also correct their own temperature.

This technology is still in its early stages, but if it’s successful, it could make a huge difference in neonatal units worldwide. 

Infant Medicine Is Always Developing

Scientists have made leaps and bounds in the development of infant medicine and medical technology. There’s still a long way to go, but infants have a better chance than ever of survival, even if they’re born far too early.

The end goal is for all infants with preventable and fixable conditions to be able to thrive with the right medical technology. We’re not there yet, but it’s on the horizon.

For more informative articles about infant care and more, visit the rest of the site.