GCU Insightful Explanation of Low Birth Weight Babies Harmful Effects Response – Description
Gichely
Low birth weight babies cause detrimental effects to the families where the preterm babies are born as well as the community at large. The effects are costly. One of the major influences is high hospital costs incurred during hospitalization of the babies during their first year of life (Litt et al., 2017). the high pediatric costs come as a result of infant hospitalization. The prices continue to increase since the babies are at the risk of developing other diseases as they grow. Secondly, there are high costs incurred in maternal deliveries. The parents of the babies have to incur high medical care costs that will help their children to live a healthier life. They incur costs in achieving special education that will help then pro ide the best care to these babies.
Parents or caregivers to these children also experience traumatic times as they take care of the babies. That is due to their vulnerability towards chronic diseases such as weak postnatal growth, respiratory problems, cerebral palsy and other illnesses. They need to take extra time and sometimes forgo their duties to give specialized care to the infants (Day et al., 2018). They also incur higher costs in the provision of regular medications and special healthcare needs.
Prematurity is associated with both long and short-term effects. Prematurity is the primary cause of higher infant morbidity and mortality rates among preterm babies (Day et al., 2018). The short-term effects include specialized care in neonatal ICU, higher rates of readmissions, severe breathing problems and cardiovascular complications. The short-term effects lead to long-term impacts. The long-term implications include lifelong health complications such as weak growth and health, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing and visual impairments, learning difficulties, chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases and social-emotional and behavioural problems.
How Disparities Relative to Ethnic and Cultural Groups May Contribute to Low Birth Weight Babies
Ethnicity and cultural diversity among various groups also is a significant factor towards low birth weight babies. For instance, most minority groups in the United States, such as Native and African Americans have high cases of low-birth-weight babies compared to the Whites (Martinson & Reichman, 2016). These communities are linked to increased poverty cases as well as low socio-economic rates. Low socio-economic sates are a great contributor to poor health among women from minority groups, and that has caused high rates of preterm babies.
Infants born of women from low-socio-economic status are more likely to die or have low birth weight. Nutritional challenges and lack of regular medical visits makes them have poor health during the pregnancy period (Martinson & Reichman, 2016). Racial discrimination among these ethnic/minority groups leads to poverty, low educational attainment, low-income jobs and poor living conditions. All these factors are great contributors to the below-standards health that leads to premature births.
Support System to Help Preterm Infants and Their Families
The most inclusive support system to support preterm babies together with their families is the Infant Health and Development Program(IHDP). It is an intervention that is aimed at improving the health of preterm babies as well as helping the families in providing specialized care to the infants. The system provided parenting interventions that promote the proper development of children as well as their well-being. The program offers counselling to the families of these children on individual needs and positive parenting behaviours to promote sensitive and responsive caregiving. The support program also carries out early education programs to prevent the adverse effects of low birth weight. The program includes centre-based early education, home visits and family support.
(http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/articles/policy-briefs/prematurity-and-low-birth-weight)
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