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Updated: Oct 2, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
[Neurological signs and assessment of extremely and very low birth weight infants]
1Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo Izunagaoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Nagaoka, Shizuoka.
Insights
Protecting the infant brain from prenatal to neonatal injury is crucial. Early detection of neurological signs in high-risk newborns can prevent conditions like cerebral palsy.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Infant brain development
- Perinatal medicine
Context:
- The infant brain is highly susceptible to injury during prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal periods.
- Perinatal complications frequently cause brain bleeding, ischemia, and pathological changes.
- These issues can lead to cerebral palsy and developmental disorders if not managed promptly.
Purpose:
- To emphasize the critical importance of early neurological assessment in infants.
- To highlight the need for familiarity with neurological signs in high-risk newborns.
- To facilitate the early identification of conditions like neonatal asphyxia and intraventricular hemorrhage.
Summary:
- Neurological examinations in newborns are challenging but vital for identifying brain injuries.
- Early detection of abnormal neurological findings can prevent permanent damage and developmental issues.
- Key conditions to screen for include neonatal asphyxia, intraventricular hemorrhage, and hydrocephalus.
Impact:
- Facilitates timely intervention for at-risk infants, improving neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Reduces the incidence and severity of lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
- Enhances the standard of care for extremely and very low birth weight infants through specialized neurological assessment.
Abstract:
The infants' brain during the prenatal, perinatal and neonatal periods is susceptible to injury. Many problems in the perinatal period often result in bleeding, ischemia and other pathological changes in the infant brain. Which can subsequently cause cerebral palsy or developmental disorders. Unless they are discovered early and measures are taken, permanent brain damage may remain. Although neurological examinations at this stage is very difficult, it is very important to be familiar with neurological signs and assessment of extremely and very low birth weight infants and to discover early any abnormal findings of diseases such as neonatal asphyxia, intraventricular haemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, neonatal seizures and hydrocephalus.
