In fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), otherwise known as bleeding in the brain, can cause long-term neurological damage.
Although it is difficult to predict the exact nature of neurological damage sustained, doctors will keep a close eye on the child’s development moving forward, which includes monitoring which developmental milestones they may reach.
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones in children are movement and behavioral changes that are expected of a child during particular age ranges. Typically, pediatricians will have information about expected infant milestones they can share with you.
Generally, milestones help doctors understand if there is a problem with your child’s development. They can then refer your child to the appropriate specialists for further care and supervision.
Read more about FNAIT testing and diagnosis
Here are some examples of typical milestones. Between 0 and 3 months of age, your child should be able to lift their head briefly while on their belly. Your child should be able to make eye contact and smile socially. In terms of communication, your child should be able to coo and cry to express different needs.
As your child grows, milestones become more advanced. For example, by 12 to 18 months of age, your child should be able to walk independently or come close. By this age, your child should start to express interest in pretend play. In terms of communication, your child should be able to utter between 5 and 20 words and follow simple commands.
What to do if milestones are missed
Missing milestones can have a domino effect; one missed milestone can lead to another, and another. Early missed milestones can serve as predictors of poorer health outcomes over time.
This is where doctors who specialize in rehabilitation come in. If your child is missing milestones related to movement, pediatric physical therapists can help your child recover the missed movements as quickly as possible. If speech is the problem, pediatric speech therapists can intervene, find out what is causing the issue and initiate solutions.
For every missed milestone, there are clinical strategies that can help fix the problem. While these can be helpful or curative for some patients, not every problem can be fixed entirely. Sometimes, long-term damage sustained to the brain during an ICH can result in permanent injury, but the goal of rehabilitation is always to restore your child’s condition to optimal levels. This means that doctors will always do their best to reverse milestone losses and prevent them from setting back your child permanently.
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