Therapeutic Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Clinical Report

Summary

This AAP clinical report addresses therapeutic hypothermia for neonates born at 36 weeks' gestation or more with moderate-to-severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. It outlines that cooling started within 6 hours of birth and continued for 72 hours reduces death or moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental impairment, and that the therapy requires neuromonitoring, neuroimaging and structured neurodevelopmental follow-up. It emphasises that all birthing centres need action plans for prompt recognition and initiation of cooling or transfer. Cooling centres are encouraged to deliver educational programmes for referring hospitals on identification, initial management and timely transfer.

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