HWN Suggests

What is HIE?

The outcomes of children with HIE are wide-ranging – anywhere from unaffected through loss. No two children will be the same, even with a similar injury pattern. The impact of each child’s injury is different based on multiple factors, including what parts of the brain were affected and how damaging the insult was to the brain, and how each child’s brain moves forward from injury through neuroplasticity.

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Articles of Interest

Advances in Therapies to Treat Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition that results in brain damage in newborns due to insufficient blood and oxygen supply during or after birth. HIE is a major cause of neurological disability and mortality in newborns, with over one million neonatal deaths occurring annually worldwide. The severity of brain injury and the outcome of HIE depend on several factors, including the cause of oxygen deprivation, brain maturity, regional blood flow, and maternal health conditions.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: Pathophysiology and Experimental Treatments

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious birth complication affecting full term infants: 40–60% of affected infants die by 2 years of age or have severe disabilities. The majority of the underlying pathologic events of HIE are a result of impaired cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain with resulting primary and secondary energy failure. In the past, treatment options were limited to supportive medical therapy. Currently, several experimental treatments are being explored in neonates and animal models to ameliorate the effects of secondary energy failure.

Neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy: moving from controversy to consensus definitions and subclassification

NE and hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) are often used interchangeably to describe a full-term baby with an abnormal neurological exam at birth and evidence of perinatal hypoxia–ischemia. In reality, HIE is a subgroup of NE. This ambiguity hinders case definition, collaborative research, and data synthesis and confuses families and caregivers. Therefore, consensus on diagnosis, terminology, and illness classification in these babies is desirable.

Neonatal encephalopathy versus Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a complex syndrome characterized by seizures, an altered level of consciousness, and/or an inability to initiate or maintain respiration. Although the incidence show variation, it is estimated as many as 3 per 1000 live births are affected. Infants may display multiorgan as well as neurological dysfunction. NE is an “umbrella” term that does not describe a specific etiology. Therapeutic hypothermia is the only validated treatment other than supportive intensive care.

Resources

Hope for HIE

We’re the largest collective of HIE help, support, resources, and families in the world, with an incredibly active and engaged community. Hope for HIE is deeply committed to providing comprehensive, personalized support for each family’s journey.

HIE Help Center

The HIE Help Center seeks to support and inform the families and loved ones of children with disabilities stemming from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We aim to be a useful one-stop information center to help families navigate disability resources without having to spend hours on dozens of different websites.

Bliss

HIE can occur at any stage during a pregnancy, during labour or shortly after birth.

Cerebral Palsy Guide

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is one of the most common causes of death and long-term disability in neonates (newborns).

Florida Neonatal Neurologic Network

There are many problems during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and after delivery that can cause HIE. However, in many cases the cause of HIE is not known.

Nationwide Children’s

In some cases, a child may not be diagnosed with HIE until later in life. This may happen if symptoms are mild and don’t appear right after birth. As a child grows, they may start to have problems with motor function or delays in development. To diagnose HIE, your child’s healthcare provider will ask about your child’s symptoms and health history.

NINDS

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is an umbrella term for a brain injury that happens before, during, or shortly after birth when oxygen or blood flow to the brain is reduced or stopped. While some children who experience HIE at birth may not have any long-term consequences, others can experience mild to severe disabilities or even death.

Radiopaedia

MRI is the most sensitive and specific imaging technique for examining infants with suspected hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Conventional sequences can help exclude other causes of encephalopathy such as hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, neoplasms, or congenital malformations.