None of these have yet been demonstrated to be universally useful, although some give promise of effectiveness in very specific situations. This is an exciting and promising field of research and offers promise of neuroprotection. This can be done by immersing the baby in cold water, placing ice around its body or by cooling its blood. An even more direct approach is the cooling of only the infant's head either by circulating cold water over the skull or the cooling of the blood flowing to the brain. Hypothermia is not an innocuous procedure in that it can have negative effects on heart and liver function.
Animal studies demonstrate that the adverse effects can be controlled.
Protecting the infant's brain and having a longer period of time available to correct for factors threatening the infant's brain, offer promise of reducing the occurrence of developmental brain damage or of reducing the severity of damage. Neuroprotection is an exciting area of research which the UCP Research and Educational Foundation is helping to develop.