Medically induced cooling of the brain can help treat damage. This relatively new procedure — the FDA approved it a little over 10 years ago — provides the opportunity to treat babies who are suffering from hypoxic brain damage because of perinatal asphyxia.
We don’t totally understand the exact science of why brain cooling limits birth injuries. Many theories make perfect sense floating around. But, ultimately, who cares why it works? It appears to work on not only the brain but other vital organs that have been harmed by oxygen deprivation.

At this point, I don’t know why any hospital with a NICU would not be capable of using cooling to protect an infant from brain damage.


