The Who, What, Where, When and How of aEEG

aEEG has become a standard bedside tool in many hospitals for monitoring the brains of infants with HIE, those undergoing therapeutic hypothermia and for many other neurologic conditions, especially where seizures are suspected. Understanding the application of aEEG and successful trace interpretation is crucial to success. Similar to an EKG monitor that displays the electrical contractility of the heart, aEEG produces traces mapping the electrical impulses of the brain. Interpretation is based on specific pattern criteria including the upper/lower margins, presence or absence of sleep wake cycles, and presence or absence of seizure activity.

Learning Objectives:

• List the neonatal conditions and infants who will benefit from aEEG monitoring
• Describe the basic premise of aEEG and how it works
• Discuss trace pattern nomenclature and qualifications for term babies
• Describe the importance of using the raw EEG to validate the trace
• Describe Artifact and Impedance and how to reduce this