Extending brain cooling in babies may cut disability rate

Brain cooling, a treatment that reduces the rate of disability in newborns, could potentially improve outcomes for more babies.

At the moment, it is given to infants who suffer hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a type of brain damage that occurs when a baby’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood. It is administered to those with moderate or severe HIE only, however researchers at University College Cork believe it could also benefit newborns who suffer mild encephalopathy.

Consultant paediatrician Deirdre Murray said they are hoping to now secure funding for a clinical trial to establish if this is the case.