Introduction
DDerleth@aol.com
Sat, 9 Mar 1996 22:07:12 -0500
I joined this list a while ago and have been lurking since. I guess it's
time for an introduction.
I am not the parent of a premie, but I'm a neonatologist. My goals in
joining this list are mainly two. One, I could be an information source.
Two, I can learn what problems are out there that I may not have run across
or appreciated enough, and learn about them. This is especially true of
problems that come up after going home from the NICU.
My concern about joining this list is I don't want to inhibit others from
speaking their minds because there is some doctor lurking out there. I hope
not to have that effect. I have been a relatively active member of America
Online's premie parent bulletin board for a few months now. I think I have
been helpful there, and I don't think I have cramped anyone's style. I am
perfectly willing to unsubscribe if people here feel I'm getting in the way.
Professionally, my special interest is the extremely premature baby, less
than 25 weeks of gestation. In particular, I'm interested in the blood
circulation problems that often afflict such babies in their first few days
of life. I'm also interested in minimizing their lung injury by getting them
off the ventilator and onto nasal prong CPAP at a very young age. (We get
about half of our 23-24 week babies off the ventilator at about one week of
age, give or take a few days.)
As a parent, I understand some of the problems many of you are experiencing
about the lack of good support after discharge because I have a daughter with
PDD, pervasive developmental disorder. PDD is most easily described as
"partial autism". It is unlikely my daughter will ever be able to live
independently, although we remain hopeful and continue to work as hard as we
can to minimize the effects of her condition. Getting her the help she needs
is a constant struggle, just as it is for many of you.
I look forward to "talking" with you in the future.
Doug