Baby Steps for Preterm Infants

This week, Kevin and Jesse are joined Dorothea Jenkins, M.D., and Bashar Badran, Ph.D., whose new device, BabyStrong, is designed to help enhance feeding behavior in at-risk preterm babies! Every year, complications from preterm birth are the #1 cause of death for babies in the United States. Babies who survive premature birth often have long-term health problems, including cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, chronic lung disease, blindness and hearing loss.

Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Badran are looking to create an impact in the lives of these babies. Listen in as they discuss their own personal connections to developing this life-altering technology and how this non-invasive technology stimulates the baby’s brain to learn to feed.

00:00 The Start

01:38 Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Badran Join the Show

06:04 Addressing the Health Issues of Preterm Babies 

09:25 Approaching and Gathering Consent from Parents of Preterm Babies

13:15 Personal Reasons and Motivations for Helping Babies with Brain Injuries

16:28 The Mechanics and What is Happening to the Brain Using BabyStrong

23:45 Lessons Learned and What it Means to Fail with Babies

27:33 Where Do We Go from Here

Learn more about innovation at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) by visiting: https://web.musc.edu/innovation

This show is a production of the MUSC Office of Innovation and the Office of Communications and Marketing. Please note that this is an investigational therapy that has not been approved or authorized by the FDA and whose safety and efficacy has not yet been established.