Your Care Instructions
Intraventricular hemorrhage is bleeding in the brain. This type of bleeding can happen in premature babies, usually in the first week after birth.
If the amount of bleeding is small, your baby should have little or no brain damage. More bleeding raises the risk that fluid will build up in the brain (hydrocephalus). The extra fluid can increase pressure in the baby's brain, causing brain damage and mental and physical problems.
There isn't a treatment to stop this type of bleeding. Instead, treatment focuses on watching for signs of fluid buildup, keeping your baby's blood pressure steady, giving fluids, and helping your baby breathe.
If fluid buildup occurs, your baby may have a lumbar puncture, receive medicines, or have a procedure to place a shunt. A shunt is a flexible tube placed in the brain to drain the fluid. Draining fluid helps control the pressure in the brain.
Follow-up care is a key part of your child's treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if your child is having problems. It's also a good idea to know your child's test results and keep a list of the medicines your child takes.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
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