Monthly Archives: May 2013

A Space Oddity

The Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield returned to Earth today. He was the first astronaut of the new internet age, in terms of the way he used his earthbound links. As someone born in the 1950’s (yes I know it … Continue reading

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SUPPORT: even better than originally thought

Public Citizen are at it again, repeating and expanding their idiotic criticisms of the SUPPORT trial. And stating that the trial was ‘even worse than originally thought’. They are now focusing on the ‘problem’ that the NICUs used ‘intentionally inaccurate’ … Continue reading

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Does NIDCAP work?

I guess that depends on what you mean ‘work’.  Does developmentally sensitive care lead to more responsive, humane, and less disturbing care, improving the environment for our preterm infants, I think the answer is clearly yes. If you mean does … Continue reading

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Slug Porn

David Attenborough, who has ‘appeared’ on this blog previously, has a TV series about invertebrates. He is a sprightly 87 years old (Annie is hoping I am as sprightly in 45 years time… !). The program is as usual, amazing, … Continue reading

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How much oxygen?

At the PAS meeting in Washington DC, that has just finished, the COT trial results were presented, as well as the short term outcomes of the BOOST trials. These are a series of clinical trials which have compared higher saturations … Continue reading

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Smaller plates please

In this study, first grade children were randomly given either adult sized plates or smaller kiddie plates. (DiSantis KI, Birch LL, Davey A, Serrano EL, Zhang J, Bruton Y, Fisher JO: Plate Size and Children’s Appetite: Effects of Larger Dishware … Continue reading

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Neonatal Updates #31

Yoder BA, Stoddard RA, Li M, King J, Dirnberger DR, Abbasi S: Heated, Humidified High-Flow Nasal Cannula Versus Nasal CPAP for Respiratory Support in Neonates. Pediatrics 2013. A multi-center RCT among just over 400 infants who were at least 1 … Continue reading

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Music has charms to soothe a savage breast

William Congreve, The Mourning Bride, 1697: (from Act 1 Scene 1) Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast, To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak. I’ve read, that things inanimate have mov’d, And, as with living Souls, have … Continue reading

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What the… #2

Some of you may remember my rant about the article that was supposedly about in-hospital developmental care recently published in Early Human Development. Well I sent a note to the editor through the web page telling him about my concerns. … Continue reading

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‘Creating’ impairment?

A new publication by Annie Janvier and Marc Mercurio, which tries to explain why newborn infants, and especially preterm infants, are treated differently to older children and adults. (Janvier A, Mercurio MR: Saving vs creating: perceptions of intensive care at different ages … Continue reading

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