The nurse is visiting the parents of a newborn diagnosed with periventricular leukomalacia. Which statement indicates that the parents understand the newborn's health problem?

Question

A) "Once the infection clears up, the baby will be fine.".
B) "We will need to plan for special care to help with learning disabilities.".
C) "In a few months, more brain tissue will grow to fill in the hollow areas in the brain.".
D) "In a few months, the baby will need to have physical therapy to train muscles to work.".

Answer 1

B
Feedback:
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is abnormal formation of the white matter of the brain and is caused by an anoxic episode that interferes with circulation to a portion of the brain. Phagocytes and macrophages invade the area to clear away necrotic tissue. What is left is an abnormality in the white matter of the brain seen as a hollow space. Once the condition has occurred, there is no therapy. Infants may die of the original insult; they may be left with long-term effects such as learning disabilities or cerebral palsy. The parents will need to plan for special care to help with the infant's learning disabilities. The baby does not have an infection. Brain tissue will not grow to fill in the hollow areas. There is no therapy for the condition, and there is no information to support that physical therapy will be beneficial.