Attention Doctors.
     I am looking for opinions and advice for my friend.  Her baby was full
term. Approximately 16 hours after birth he bagan having seizures.  He had
seizures ranging from absance to grand mal for five days.  He was given
dilantin(phenytoin sodium) and Phenobarbitol and valium. He had a bleed in his
brain that did not go into the tissue. He had a brain shunt put in. Doc feels
that they put the shunt in before there was significant pressure on the brain.
Baby currently has no suck reflex. He only takes about 1cc of breast milk at a
time from a bottle. When baby is put to breast, he nuzzles,licks and sort of
latches on but does no effective sucking. Human milk fortifier is being added to
increase calories. Baby will be sent home using a gavache(sp?) tube.  Mom is
concerned about the future.  Her docs say that they have never seen a case like
this and have no answers. I told her that I would ask the brilliant peple on
Lactnet.  I tried to keep this short. I hope that I didn't leave out any vital
info. Thanks for your help.


Tiffany Mross LLLL