Q: is there anything that can be done to prevent pvl in a premature child?

NICU research: Pvl is the thing that all nicu docs try desperately to avoid. In very premature infants, the risk is so great that pretty much anything can predispose to an ivh (intraventricular hemorrhage) leading to pvl. Periods of low oxygen, infection, stress, low platelets, etc can lead to it. There are more, but a good nicu is already trying everything they can to avoid it.

Q: are there any potential long-term effects to having pvl for my daughter?

Yes: Periventricular leukomalacia, or pvl, occurs when cortical brain tissue (white matter) is lost. It may be associated with damage to deeper brain structures (grey matter). Since pvl means loss of brain tissue, there will be permanent effects on certain motor (movement), and occasionally cognitive (thinking) abilities, often referred to a cerebral palsy. The degree of impairment is highly variable.

Q: is there good rehabilitation for kids with pvl to help them with motor coordination?

Good peds OT and PT: Kids with pvl are at greater risk for cerebral palsy among other neuromuscular disorders. There is excellent rehab for kids with pvl, and most of them involve repetitive movement and relearning how to make normal movements, recruiting more brain to enable the movement to happen. Good pt and ot will help with that, and most major centers have them. The local support groups will know the good names.

Q: is pvl genetic, how can i test to make sure that my kids in the future do not get it?

No, not genetic: Pvl or periventricular leukomalacia is an injury to the white matter of the brain. It usually occurs in preterm infants and occasionally in the fetus. It can result in possible cerebral palsy, motor developmental delays, seizures and vision problems, depending on the severity of the pvl. The extreme preterm infant 24 to 30 weeks are most at risk due to risk of bleeding in the brain.

Q: what's the prognosis for periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) in a baby?

See below: The prognosis varies. It depends on the severity of the pvl, and any other problems. The child should have his/her development followed closely. They may benefit from early intervention services, as well.

Q: how is periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) treated in a newborn?

See below: There is no specific treatment.

Question 1

is my sons clonus more likley to be related to his cp or grade 4 ivh with pvl. ?

Accepted Answer

Cause/effect/symptom: My best answer is to segregate the terms you used into cause: (the hemorrhage) that produced: damage (injured neural pathways)that we call: "cerebral palsy" and the symptom: "clonus" that is caused by having injured neural pathways. So the hemorrhage does the damage, pvl is also damage related to injury & all this produces clonus. CP is just a term that lumps all the symptoms together in one name.

Question 2

what is periventricular leukomalasia (pvl)?

Accepted Answer

A problem...: Pvl as defined above is an type of brain injury that occurs in infants; the tissues surrounding the "ventricles"(which house fluid) are damaged leading to 'holes'.  The problem arises in that there is no curative treatment for this disorder as of today; treatment focuses on helping the baby/child cope with the developmental and neurological consequences of the disorder in the first 2 years of life.

Question 3

how often do seizures in children come from pvl?

Accepted Answer

Unknown: The actual relationship between periventricular leukomalacia and seizures is unknown. While it is true that acute brain injury may often manifest with seizures, pvl is something we often see long after the seizures themselves have stopped, although both the seizures and the pvl may have the same underlying cause. Once pvl is discovered, the risk of subsequent seizures is about 20%.

Question 4

if my son was born at 32 weeks, what are the chances that he has pvl?

Accepted Answer

Low: Pvl, or periventricular leukomalacia, is a condition where "water-shed" areas in the brain suffer ischemic injury leading to loss of brain tissue. Pvl is most often described in extremely premature (< 28 wk gestation) infants, but the exact cause is unknown. Although less premature infants may develop pvl, this is very uncommon, and is usually preceded by a profound hypoxic or inflammatory event.

Question 5

is there anything that can be done to prevent pvl in a premature child?

Accepted Answer

NICU research: Pvl is the thing that all nicu docs try desperately to avoid. In very premature infants, the risk is so great that pretty much anything can predispose to an ivh (intraventricular hemorrhage) leading to pvl. Periods of low oxygen, infection, stress, low platelets, etc can lead to it. There are more, but a good nicu is already trying everything they can to avoid it.

Question 6

are there any potential long-term effects to having pvl for my daughter?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Periventricular leukomalacia, or pvl, occurs when cortical brain tissue (white matter) is lost. It may be associated with damage to deeper brain structures (grey matter). Since pvl means loss of brain tissue, there will be permanent effects on certain motor (movement), and occasionally cognitive (thinking) abilities, often referred to a cerebral palsy. The degree of impairment is highly variable.

Question 7

is there good rehabilitation for kids with pvl to help them with motor coordination?

Accepted Answer

Good peds OT and PT: Kids with pvl are at greater risk for cerebral palsy among other neuromuscular disorders. There is excellent rehab for kids with pvl, and most of them involve repetitive movement and relearning how to make normal movements, recruiting more brain to enable the movement to happen. Good pt and ot will help with that, and most major centers have them. The local support groups will know the good names.

Question 8

is pvl genetic, how can i test to make sure that my kids in the future do not get it?

Accepted Answer

No, not genetic: Pvl or periventricular leukomalacia is an injury to the white matter of the brain.  It usually occurs in preterm infants and occasionally in the fetus.  It can result in possible cerebral palsy, motor developmental delays, seizures and vision problems, depending on the severity of the pvl.  The extreme preterm infant 24 to 30 weeks are most at risk due to risk of bleeding in the brain.

Question 9

what's the prognosis for periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) in a baby?

Accepted Answer

See below: The prognosis varies. It depends on the severity of the pvl, and any other problems. The child should have his/her development followed closely. They may benefit from early intervention services, as well.

Question 10

how is periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) treated in a newborn?

Accepted Answer

See below: There is no specific treatment.

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Doctor answers about:

Pvl cyst

A member asked:

Is my sons clonus more likley to be related to his cp or grade 4 ivh with pvl. ?

A member asked:

What is periventricular leukomalasia (pvl)?

A member asked:

How often do seizures in children come from pvl?

A member asked:

If my son was born at 32 weeks, what are the chances that he has pvl?

A member asked:

Is there anything that can be done to prevent pvl in a premature child?

A member asked:

Are there any potential long-term effects to having pvl for my daughter?

A member asked:

Is there good rehabilitation for kids with pvl to help them with motor coordination?

A member asked:

Is pvl genetic, how can i test to make sure that my kids in the future do not get it?

A member asked:

What's the prognosis for periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) in a baby?

A member asked:

How is periventricular leukomalacia (pvl) treated in a newborn?

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