Kernicterus Research Paper Outline

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http://www.kernicterus.org/#Kernicterus http://www.kernicterus.org/images/nomogram.gif Introduction: Jaundice and Kernicterus Jaundice About 60% of newborn infants in the United States are jaundiced, that is they look yellow. Jaundice is the yellow coloring of the skin and other tissues. Jaundice can often be seen well in the sclera, the "whites" of the eyes, which look yellow. Many babies look jaundiced (60%), but they are not deeply jaundiced, not jaundiced below the abdomen, and they act OK - they nurse, they aren't too sleepy, they have normal muscle tone, their cry is normal, they don't arch their backs. Kernicterus Kernicterus is a form of brain damage caused by excessive jaundice. The substance which causes jaundice, bilirubin,…show more content…
Children with kernicterus have a "dystonic" or "athetoid" form of cerebral palsy. An "athetoid" form of cerebral palsy is classic and refers to the slow, writhing involuntary movements that occur. Dystonia, or abnormal muscle tone and position, is more common, and may occur with or without athetosis. Some children with kernicterus are deaf, some have normal hearing, and some with or without deafness have an auditory processing problem now called auditory neuropathy or auditory dys-synchrony. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests (also known as BAEP, BAER or BSER) are often abnormal, whereas other "hearing" tests, such as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and cochlear microphonic responses are…show more content…
I currently see patients in our Kernicterus and BIND Clinic in the Division of Child Neurology, Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia. The Kernicterus Clinic is a full-service consultative clinic. We make and coordinate referrals. You may be seen in consultation with recommendations for treatment to be carried out locally, or receive ongoing care at our clinic. • Diagnosis - New patients fill out a questionnaire, and then undergo a carefully history-taking, physical and neurological examination. We review past medical records. Patients are routinely videotaped for documentation of movements. • Testing - A full range of routine and specialty diagnostic testing is available, including MRI and PET scans, evoked potentials (ABR, SEP, VEP); EMG, EEG, video EEG, sleep studies, metabolic and genetic testing, auditory, and neuropsychological testing • Referrals - To physician specialists in areas including pediatric genetics, neurosurgery, neuromuscular and movement disorders specialists; physical medicine rehabilitation; audiology; otolaryngology; speech, physical and occupational therapy, gait analysis and

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