Medications that destroy or incapacitate bacteria. They are used to treat certain infections.
Antibiotics are not effective against viruses.
Apnoea
A pause in breathing that is longer than normal. It is commonly seen in premature or ill newborn babies.
Arterial line
A thin catheter or tube placed in an artery to take blood samples or check blood pressure.
Aspiration
Inhaling liquid or other material into the windpipe or lungs.
B
Bagging
A procedure to assist the baby to breathe by inflating the lungs with a bag. A mask is placed over the mouth and nose or a tube in the windpipe is used.
Bilirubin
A substance that stains the skin yellow (jaundice) when present in significant amounts.
Bilirubin is formed while recycling red blood cells and is processed by the liver. The liver is immature in the normal newborn and may be slow to remove bilirubin.
This is exaggerated in sick or premature babies and high bilirubin levels may require treatment.
Blood gas
A blood gas test is performed using a small amount of blood to measure the acidity and levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
Bradycardia
A temporary slowing in the baby's heart rate, common in premature or ill newborn babies.
Bridge
A box containing the ventilator, monitors and pumps needed for intensive care of an infant or older child.
The box is mounted over the legs of the child, forming a bridge over the stretcher.
C
Cardiac Ultrasound or 'Echo'
A test using sound waves to create a picture of the chambers of the heart, heart valves and related blood vessels. Patterns of blood flow can also be shown.
Catheter Central Line
A special tube, usually placed in a blood vessel to give liquids or drugs or to take blood specimens.
A long intravenous line that is threaded into the large blood vessels within the body, often inserted through the groin or neck.
It is used to give fluids and drugs and to monitor vital signs such as central venous pressure.
Cervical Collar
A stiff collar placed around the neck of a child who has a suspected neck injury.
Chest tube/chest drain
Tubes inserted through the skin between the ribs to release air or liquid trapped within the chest, to allow the lungs to expand.
Chronological age
Age measured by length of time from birth
Conference
Group telephone discussion held by the doctors and nurses to discuss the treatment of your child. Generally held prior to transport.
Corrected age
The age the baby would be, if born at term.
For example one year corrected age is one year after the baby was due to be born, rather than one year after her or his actual birthday.
CPAP
Continuous Positive Airways Pressure.
A form of respiratory support where the lungs are kept slightly inflated to assist the child's natural breathing.
The CPAP machine supplies oxygen under pressure to the baby through plastic prongs inserted a short distance into one or both nostrils.
For older children a mask may be used. If the child is sicker, intubation and ventilation may be required.
Cranial ultrasound
A test using sound waves to create a picture of the brain and other structures.
Cyanosis
The bluish tinge of the skin and lips caused by a low level of oxygen.
CT scan
A special form of x-ray which requires the child to be so still that an anaesthetic may be required. It cannot be done in the ICU.
E
Echo
See 'Cardiac ultrasound'
Electrode
An adhesive pad placed on the baby's skin, which is used to monitor heart rate and/or breathing.
Endotracheal tube
A plastic tube passed through the nose or mouth into the trachea 1windpipe) to assist the baby in breathing. It is usually attached to a ventilator.
It can also be called an ET tube.
The process of inserting an ET tube is called Intubation
Extubation
The process of removing the endotracheal tube.
G
Gastric tube
A plastic tube placed into the stomach through the mouth or nose.
Often used to feed the baby when sucking is inadequate or unsuitable.
GCS Glasgow Coma Scale
A score used in an unconscious or semiconscious child to assess severity of loss of consciousness and guide treatment.
Gestational age
The length of time (in weeks) from conception to birth.
H
Haemoglobin
The substance in the red blood cells which carries oxygen around the body.
Headbox
A plastic box placed over the baby's head and shoulders to provide an exact level of oxygen and moisture.
Humidifier
A device through which oxygen and air for the headbox or ventilator are fed to warm and moisten them to body temperature.
Hyaline Membrane Disease
A respiratory problem resulting from immaturity of a baby's lungs and lack of surfactant. It is more common in premature babies.
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) can limit oxygen uptake leading to hypoxia (see below).
Hypoxia
A low level of oxygen in the blood stream.
I
Indwelling catheter
A plastic catheter placed in the bladder to assist in draining urine. Often used in intensive care of children.
Incubator
A bed enclosed with plastic. It is heated to maintain the baby's body temperature while the baby remains visible and accessible.
Intravenous
A method of giving fluids through a tiny catheter placed in an infusion vein. See also Central Line.
Intubation
Insertion of an endotracheal tube through the nose or mouth into the trachea (windpipe) to resuscitate a
very unwell baby or to assist with breathing.
Intra osseous (IO) line
A large needle inserted into the bone of the leg to give drugs and fluids required urgently.
Used when other methods of giving treatment are not working or are unsuccessful.
J
Jaundice
Yellow discolouration of the skin caused by excessive bilirubin in the blood.
M
Meconium
The first bowel action of the newborn baby, usually dark green or black and sticky.
Medical Retrieval
The process of moving a sick patient using a medical team which has travelled from a specialist centre to treat, stabilise and escort the patient.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
A scan image of the head or other body part taken using a magnetic scanning technique, rather than radiation.
The test cannot be done in the ICU.
Monitor
A machine which displays information about the baby's body functions (eg heart rate, blood pressure, temperature) and warns of possibly abnormal variations.
Monitored
The process of attaching or maintaining monitoring equipment.
Muscle relaxant
A form of anaesthetic in which the muscles of the body are 'paralysed' for a short time by a drug.
Used in the critically ill child as part of intensive care.
P
Paralysed
The effect of a muscle relaxing drug. Also used to indicate nerve damage from an injury or illness.
Ask your child's doctor if you are unsure about the sense in which this word is being used in the intensive care setting.
S
Sedation
Effect of drugs used to make your child more comfortable or less aware.
Spinal board
A frame or board to keep a child's back and spine safe when fracture is suspected.
Stabilisation
The process of preparing a child for medical transport.
This includes all those intensive care treatments that can be commenced prior to travel.
This is better than delaying important treatments until after transportation.
Stabilisation also involves making the child's condition 'safe' for transportation.
Surfactant
A substance produced by the lungs which is essential for expansion of the lungs during breathing.
In a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, surfactant can be given to babies whose lungs are not manufacturing natural surfactant.
This occurs when the lungs are not yet mature enough (eg in a premature infant) or are malfunctioning for another reason.
T
Transcutaneous (TC)
Literally, through the skin. A monitor fixed to the skin to assess the level of oxygen or carbon dioxide in the body.
The level can be measured this way because a baby's skin is thin enough for oxygen and carbon dioxide to filter through the skin.
U
Umbilical Arterial Catheter (UAC)
A tube fed through one of the arteries of the umbilicus of a baby. It is used to take blood samples and or measure blood pressure.
Umbilical Venous Catheter (UVC)
A tube fed through the vein in the umbilicus of a baby. It is used to give drugs and fluids.
V
Ventilator
A machine which assists with or replaces the baby's own breathing by inflating the lungs under pressure.
The baby may be able to breathe between the machine breaths.
The machine is connected to the baby by a tube passed through the nose or mouth into the windpipe. (see Endotracheal Tube)
