Question

Describe the effect of extremely low birth weight babies on the family and community. Consider short-term and long-term impacts, socioeconomic implications, the need for ongoing care, and comorbidities associated with prematurity. Explain how disparities relative to ethnic and cultural groups may contribute to low birth weight babies. Identify one support service within your community to assist with preterm infants and their families and explain how the service adequately addresses the needs of the community, or a population in your community. Provide the link to the resource in your post.

Answer 1

Low birth weight babies are termed to be less than 2500mg ,These babies are usually preterm babies.

Some of the effects of low birth weight  in families are

• Financial burden to take care of these children on medical expenses
• Personal impact making them feel hey it has happened to them
• Pa rents of LBW babies if had functional disabilities can disturb them emotionally
• Low family income bring a question of how to take care of this child
• Lack of knowledge of what to do next

The impacts on community  are

• It has an impact if the child is in school, the performance are not up to the mark as expected
• Special education and services in the community has to be set up
• The average cost of expenditure on the child is higher in hospital
• Early intervention cost for the child is high

Some of the short term impacts are

• Poor health
• Social emotional functions are less
• limitations on activities

Some of the long term impacts are

• High risk for chronic conditions (cerebral palsy,infection,respiratory problems, poor postnatal growth.
• Long term abnormalities in brain at the age of 8 and 12
• Some impact may exist on poor performance, low attendance rate and higher incidence of blood pressure and respiratory issues
• Burning out of socioeconomic status due yo expenses

The need for on going care are special education and parent education when the child grows.A peculiar care is needed in the first 12 months of the baby life to prevent any comorbidities in future.

Racial disparities in the birth outcomes has to be assessed and it has to be prevented in the future.The disparity existed in between the black and white babies.It is found high in black non Hispanic women.The ethnic disparities existed among urban unmarried mothers and economically disadvantaged people.

Some of the support service for low birth weight babies are

• Early Intervention for low birth weight infants
• Low birth weight infants Evaluation and Assessment Program (LEAP)
• Home visiting
• Kangaroo mother care
• Therapeutic day care
• Parent education program