Common Neonatal Unit Abbreviations and Glossary

Bili – Bilirubin

BP – Blood Pressure, see Low Blood Pressure

BPD – Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

CNS – Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) or Clinical Nurse Specialist

CPAP – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (air or oxygen delivered under a small amount of pressure)

CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

ET – Endotracheal (refers to a tube placed through the mouth or nose to the wind pipe)

HMD – Hyaline Membrane Disease (another name for Respiratory Distress Syndrome)

HFOV – High Frequency Ventilator

ID – Infectious Disease or Identification

IMV – Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation – # of breaths per minute by the ventilator

IV – Intravenous (by vein)

IVH – Intraventricular Hemorrhage

LP – Lumbar Puncture (getting sample of spinal fluid using a needle)

NEC – Necrotizing Enterocolitis

NG – Naso Gastric (tube going from nose to stomach)

NICU – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

NPO – Nothing by Mouth

O2 – Oxygen

OG – Oral Gastric (tube going from mouth to stomach)

OT – Occupational Therapist

PDA – Patent Ductus Arteriosus

PIC or PCVL – a tiny catheter or tube placed into a vein to give fluids or nutrition

PT – Physiotherapist

RN – Registered Nurse

ROP – Retinopathy of Prematurity

RDS – Respiratory Distress Syndrome

SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SIMV – Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (machine breaths timed to baby’s)

TPR – Temperature, pulse and respiration

TPN – Total Parenteral Nutrition (nutrition by vein)

UAC – Umbilical Artery Catheter

UTI – Urinary Tract (kidney or bladder) Infection

UVC – Umbilical Venous Catheter 

 

ACIDOSIS. An abnormal increase in the acidity of body fluids

ANAEMIA. a deficiency of red blood cell

APGAR SCORE. A system of evaluating a newborn’s physical condition by assigning a value to each of five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone,
response to stimuli, and skin color

APNOEA. a temporary suspension of breathing, occurring in some newborns. These episodes usually repeat themselves.

ASPHYXIA A condition in which an extreme decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the body accompanied by an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide leads to loss of consciousness or death

BAGGING. a mask connected to a squeezable bag that is placed over the baby’s nose and mouth and squeezed to help breathing.

BILIRUBIN A yellow pigment produced when the liver processes excess red blood cells. A high bilirubin level causes yellowing of the skin..

BLOOD GASES. a test done to measure how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in
your blood

BRADYCARDIA. a slow heartbeat rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute

BRAIN SCAN. This can be done by using ultrasound, X rays (called CT scan) or magnetic resonance (called MR) to create a picture of the brain in order to gain information about it.

BREAST PUMP. A suction device for withdrawing milk from the breast. You can use both a manual or electric pumps to extract the milk from the breast.

BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA (BPD). serious lung condition that affects extremely preterm infants, and by definition has an oxygen requirement beyond 28 days of life.

CANDIDA. A yeast infection of skin and mucus membranes (mouth, digestive or genital tracts).

CENTILE CHARTS. Graphs showing the normal ranges of measurements at different ages.

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF). The clear fluid that fills the cavities of the brain and covers the surfaces of the brain and spinal cord. It lubricates the tissues and cushions them from shock and injury.

CHEST DRAIN. a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the side of the chest into the pleural space. It is used to remove air, fluid, or pus from the chest.

CHRONOLOGICAL AGE. A baby’s age from the actual date of birth.

CORRECTED AGE. The age a premature baby would be if he/she had been born on their due date.

CONTINUOUS POSITVE AIRWAY PRESSURE (CPAP).is a method of applying a positive pressure to the insides of the throat to prevent it from collapsing during sleep. A special mask is placed over the nose that is connected to a pump. The pump applies pressure through the mask to keep the throat from collapsing.

CYANOSIS. A bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes resulting from inadequate oxygenation of the blood.

DRIP. a device for the administration of a fluid at a slow rate especially into a vein

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG). A graphic recording of the electrical activity of the heart, 

ELCTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG). a graphical record of electrical activity of the brain

ELECTROLYTES. Essential substances in the body which, when dissolved, give solutions able to conduct electric current.

ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE. A tube inserted into the trachea to provide a passageway for air.

EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION. The removal of most of a patient’s blood followed by introduction of an equal amount from donors.

EXPRESSING BREAST MILK. Manipulating the breast to produce milk. Manipulation can be done by both hand or with an electric breast pump.

EXTUBATE. Removing the endrotracheal tube (explained previous) from the windpipe

FONTANELLE. Any of the soft gaps between the incompletely formed cranial bones of a fetus or an infant. Also called soft spot.

GESTATIONAL AGE. The time (in weeks) from the (start of) last menstrual period.

GRUNTING. Noise made by a baby with breathing difficulty.

HAEMOGLOBIN. This gives red blood cells their characteristic color; function primarily to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues.

HEAD BOX. A Perspex box placed over a baby’s head to allow accurate control of oxygen.

HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE. Measurement of the maximum distance around the baby’s head.

HEAT SHIELD. Clear plastic shell placed over the baby to prevent heat loss.

HYDROCEPHALUS. When too much ‘cerebrospinal’ fluid is collected inside the brain, which may cause rapid increase in head size.

HYPOCALCAEMIA. A lower then normal level of blood calcium.

HYPOGLYCAEMIA. Abnormally low blood glucose level.

HYPOTHERMIA. When the body temperature drops below 35.5 degrees Celsius

HYPOXIA. Abnormally low amount of oxygen in the body tissues.

INTRACRANIAL HAEMORRHAGE. A bleed inside the skull.

INTRAVENOUS NUTRITION. A way of supplying all the most vital nutrients directly into the blood by either a type of drip (called a peripheral drip) or a central line.

JAUNDICE. Yellowness of the skin/whites of the eyes caused by a higher level of bilirubin in the blood.

LOW BIRTH WEIGHT. a baby weighing less than 2.5 kg.

LUMBAR PUNCTURE. Withdrawal of a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid in order to analyse it.

MECONIUM. Dark greenish material that builds up in the digestive system before birth, and usually starts being passed as bowel movements within 24 hours of birth.

MECONIUM ASPIRATION. A baby which becomes distressed before delivery may pass meconium (the dark greenish material described above) while he or she is still in the womb. If the baby then inhales the fluid in which he or she is “floating” in the womb, the sticky material irritates and partially blocks the airways, causing breathing difficulties in around the time that the baby is born.

NASO GASTRIC FEEDS (NG Feeds). Feeding using a fine, soft tube passed through the nose into the stomach.

NEONATE. Baby during the first four weeks of life.

NECROTISING ENTEROCOLITES (NEC). When a section of the wall of the intestine is swollen or inflamed because of damage to the lining.This is often linked to a period in which the blood flow has been obstructed. The abdomen may swell up, and blood is passed through the bowels. Air penetrates the wall of the digestive tract; and sometimes very rarely, it may make a hole in the gut.

OEDEMA. Swelling caused by too much fluid in the tissues under the skin.

PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (PDA). Blood vessel connecting the two main arteries leaving the heart that can remain open after it should have closed. Common in premature infants

PERIODIC BREATHING. When pauses of up to ten seconds take place in the baby’s breathing. 

PERSISTENT FOETAL CIRCULATION. Before birth, the blood vessels of the lung are narrow. If the blood vessels do not relax after birth, blood flow to the lungs is reduced. Oxygen, and sometimes drugs, are given to help with this.

pH. Is about the acidity (low value) or alkalinity (raised value) of the blood. A value close to 7.4 is normal for arterial blood.

PHOTOTHERAPY. Using light to reduce the bilirubin level.

PHYSIOTHERAPY. Special exercises to improve or relieve physical problems.

PNEUMOTHORAX. When there is air between the lung and chest wall if a lung has leaked air.

POSITIVE END EXPIRATORY PRESSURE (PEEP). Pressure applied during breathing out, which helps keep the lungs from collapsing while the baby is on the ventilator.

POSSET. When the baby spits up a small amount of milk after feeding

PRETERM BABY. A baby born before reaching 37 weeks.

RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (RDS). A breathing problem in which the lungs have difficulty holding in air.

RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY (ROP) Damage to the retina area of the eye that is sensitive to light; usually linked to the amount of oxygen in the blood reaching the retina.

SGA (Small for gestational age). Baby whose birth weight is lower than that of 90% of babies of the same gestational age.

SURFACTANT A liquid that coats the inside of the lungs and keeps them open so that the baby can breathe in air once he or she is born..

TACHYCARDIA. Rapid heart beat.

TACHYPNOEA. Rapid breathing rate.

TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION (TPN). Supplying all the most important nutrients into a vein, by an infusion.

UMBILICAL CATHETER. Plastic tube inserted through one of the two umbilical arteriesor vein. Used to take blood samples, which will be analysed. Some catheters have a special device that monitors the amount of oxygen there is in the blood. Can also be used to measure BP.

VENTILATION. Mechanical support with breathing, so that the baby will be able to have normal levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in their blood.