Can you tell which of the newborn babies above is in pain?

An article in the Technology Review asks that question in its discussion of a new facial recognition software that will help parents and caregivers determine when babies are in pain. The system was developed by Sheryl Brahnam, an information scientist at Missouri State University at Springfield and her team.
How much pain do newborns feel? Does a circumcision feel as bad as fathers think it must? Is colic really a scream-all-night worth sensation?

• Currently, clinicians use “objective scales” of pain indicators for neonates, says Gilbert Martin, director of NICU at the Citrus Valley Medical Center, in West Covina, CA. Such pain scales take into account a variety of factors, including body posture, blood pressure, and sensitivity to touch, as well as facial expression. But there is usually still an element of subjectivity in assessing a patient, he told the Technology Review.
• Until fairly recently, the general consensus was that newborn babies couldn’t experience pain. In fact, until the mid 1990s it was common for infants to undergo surgery without any kind of anaesthetic or pain relief, says Martin. “It’s really terrible to think of,” he says. But the belief was that a newborn’s nervous system wasn’t mature enough to experience pain, he explains.

Thankfully, this new technique is thought to be about 90% accurate.

Post from: Babylune

My son and husband are both huge fans. Yesterday, both kids and adults had their faces painted with national flags and wore their fan jerseys everywhere.

We live very near Frankfurt, where as I type this, England and Paraguay are playing just a few kilometers away. All of us are thinking of going downtown to see the crowds gathered down by the River Main. I actually feel more at home here in Germany than ever before. Everyone is going out of their way to welcome the tourists. The radio is even doing an additional traffic report in English.

Normally, there would be no question about going out and jumping in. We are an adventurous family. But, for an event on this scale, I am a bit nervous about taking the baby out in the thick of it. Then again, I don’t want to stay home with the baby while father and son get to have all the fun.

What would you do if you had a baby and the World Cup on your doorstep?

Post from: Babylune