Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Definition: 

Brain injury – lack of oxygen to the brain, or asphyxia

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE, is the brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain, also commonly known as intrapartum asphyxia. The newborn’s body can compensate for brief periods of depleted oxygen, but if the asphyxia lasts too long, brain tissue is destroyed. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy due to fetal or neonatal asphyxia is a leading cause of death or severe impairment among infants.

Such impairment can include epilepsy, developmental delay, motor impairment, neurodevelopmental delay, and cognitive impairment. Usually, the severity of impairment cannot be determined until a child is three to four years old.

Asphyxia was long thought to be the cause of cerebral palsy, but two studies have shown that only 9% of cases are a direct result of asphyxia. In the remaining 91% of cases, factors such as premature birth, complications of birth or problems immediately following birth cause cerebral palsy. In some cases, cause cannot be definitively determined.

What is hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy?. (n.d) retrieved June 20 2015, from The Ultimate Resource For Everything Cerebral Palsy Web Site: http://cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/cause/hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy/