Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Neonatal delirium
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Insights
Neonatal delirium, a critical illness complication, is under-researched but appears common in newborns. Current management strategies are adapted from older children, highlighting a need for specific neonatal guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Neonatal neurology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Delirium is a frequent and severe complication in critically ill pediatric patients.
- While recognized in older children, research on delirium in newborns and infants is significantly limited.
- The prevalence and consequences of neonatal delirium are largely unknown, but risk appears elevated compared to older youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of delirium in neonates.
- To outline the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of neonatal delirium.
- To explore evidence-based strategies for prevention, evaluation, and management tailored to neonates.
Main Methods:
- This is a review article, synthesizing existing literature on neonatal delirium.
- It examines case reports and limited studies on delirium in newborns and infants.
- The review discusses extrapolated management approaches from older pediatric populations.
Main Results:
- Delirium is an emerging concern in neonatal critical care, with increasing case reports.
- There is a significant lack of research specifically addressing neonatal delirium.
- Current management protocols are primarily based on data from older children.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal delirium requires further dedicated research to establish prevalence and outcomes.
- Existing management strategies for neonatal delirium need validation and potential adaptation.
- Developing specific guidelines for the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of delirium in neonates is crucial.
Abstract:
Delirium is a common and serious complication of critical illness that has been increasingly recognized in pediatric patients. There have been several published cases of delirium in newborns and infants over the last decade, though research on neonatal delirium is severely lacking. The true prevalence of delirium and its associated consequences in this population remain unknown, although the risk of delirium in this population appears to be elevated compared to older youth. The current approach to management of delirium in neonates is extrapolated from older children. In the present review, the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of delirium are outlined. Strategies for prevention, evaluation, and management of delirium in neonates are explored.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Nightmares and Night Terrors
Nightmares...
01:27Restless Leg Syndrome and Night Terrors
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate muscle movement. Imbalances in dopamine levels...