If your baby suffered oxygen deprivation at birth and is diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), this is a therapy that helps protect the baby’s brain from worsening and permanent injury. Babies who have suffered a lack of oxygen at birth and have birth asphyxia or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy may undergo “cooling” therapy or hypothermia therapy. This treatment may also be called "head cooling", "total body cooling", "cooling cap", "cooling blanket", "neonatal cooling" or "therapeutic hypothermia." HIE can destroy brain cells leading to permanent brain damage or sometimes even death. Studies have shown that babies who were oxygen deprived around birth and are treated with therapeutic hypothermia have a better chance of surviving without brain injury. This controlled therapy can lower the infant’s brain and body temperature, altering the chemical processes of the brain and reducing the infant’s risk of sustaining permanent brain damage.