15 April – 17 May 2024 (Online)
Live online sessions: 24 April, 1 & 16 May 2024
Neonatal encephalopathy is a devastating condition to the fetal and post-natal brain. This short course covers the basics of perinatal brain injury, with a particular focus on the tools and evidence used for diagnosis and prognostication such as neonatal neurological examination, brain MRI/MR spectroscopy, neonatal EEG and aEEG. You will learn how to interpret neonatal aEEG and you will understand the principles of brain MRI and spectroscopy, and become familiar with the indications for, and interpretation of, the various diagnostic imaging techniques.
We will focus on understanding neonatal encephalopathy disease pathophysiology, and how this has led to the development of specific therapies and the ongoing research and evaluation into future therapeutic intervention. Ethics of ongoing care and the psychological impact of brain injury/encephalopathy will be examined.
The course runs online over 5 consecutive weeks, and you are expected to conduct approximately 7 to 10 hours of self-directed study per week, depending on your pace of learning. This consists of weekly directed tasks that you can undertake at your own pace and timing, such as watching recorded lectures, assigned reading or reflection and forum work, but also may consist of group work online. There are also planned synchronous sessions during the course to discuss ideas, present group and individual work and to facilitate further learning.
Short course students will not be formally assessed on the course however, you will receive feedback for any submitted activities such as participation and contribution to group work and interactive sessions including a workshop within the course.