Feasibility Study for Neurodevelopment Follow-up Study in PICU (PICU-FUN)

There is a large and growing body of animal evidence demonstrating neuroapoptosis and neurodevelopmental abnormalities after exposure to anesthetic agents. This has prompted an FDA warning concerning use of anesthetics and sedatives in children under 3 years of age. There has been very little investigation of the neurodevelopment effects of prolonged sedation in previously healthy infants in Paediatric Intensive Care. This feasibility study will recruit previously healthy infants who required respiratory support with or without sedation at up to 1 year of age and assess neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6 years of age.