Susan Hepworth, Mitchell Goldstein, MD, MBA, CML

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Sometimes the healthcare system treats infants like they are tiny adults, and it’s not just inaccurate—it can actually cause problems, especially when it comes to medications and medical devices used to treat infants in hospitals.

Caring for babies in the hospital often involves ventilators for breathing support, monitors to track vital signs and lung func- tion, incubators to normalize babies’ temperatures, and infusion pumps and tubing to deliver medication or nutrition. Accuracy and precision are critical, whether it’s fragile infants fighting for their lives in the NICU, or older babies receiving care elsewhere in the hospital.

Infants need healthcare that’s tailored to their age, weight, and medical condition; but, that’s not always what they receive. In- stead, they may be treated with devices and medications that were designed for adults, not for babies. That can lead to errors, such as unintentional medication overdoses, dangerously high oxygen levels, and variable blood sugar levels. These errors can lead to further illness, injury, or even death.

Infants deserve protection and the safest possible health care. That requires policies that promote the development of drugs and devices for infants under 2, and hospital systems that implement the use of these drugs and devices. With more tools designed specifically for tiny patients, more babies can receive the best hospital care.

References:

1. National Coalition for Infant Health; Available from: https://www.infanthealth.org/prematurity

Disclosures: The authors have no disclosures