Discharge of low birth weight babies from hospital and home care

Low birth weight babies are generally discharged from the hospital when they have regained weight. They should also be able to feed satisfactorily, show stable temperature control under normal room temperature and be free from disease. In our overcrowded hospitals and nurseries, it is usually very difficult to fulfill the first criteria. Most babies are generally discharged when they reach 1,600 g to 1,800 g in weight and show evidence of steady weight gain. The mother should, however, make sure that she is fully trained to feed the baby, knows how to maintain aseptic environment around the baby. She should also have learnt the ways and means to keep the baby warm. At home, she must see to it that the handling of the baby by the visitors is discouraged. If home visiting facilities by a doctor, lady health visitor or a public health nurse are available, she must make good use of them to assess the baby’s progress as also for further advice. The low birth weight baby reacts poorly to most of the drugs. Hence the doctor normally avoids medication to him unless it is urgently needed. Administering of drugs like chloramphenicol, sulphonamides and vitamin K must be avoided. The dosage prescribed to a low birth weight baby is usually one half of that recommended for the normal newborn.