The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different oral carbohydrate solutions for alleviation of pain in healthy preterm babies. Thirty-one preterm infants who were having blood drawn by heel prick were given 2 ml of solution A (20% sucrose), solution B (20% glucose) or solution C (placebo, sterile water) into the mouth, 2 min before lancing. Behavioural responses to this painful stimulus were measured by duration of crying and facial expressions (Neonatal Facial Coding System, NFCS) and physiological responses were measured by heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and oxygen saturation changes (SaO 2 ).

Although earlier more aggressive administration of AA and fat is not associated with any significant metabolic abnormalities, growth rates and plasma AA concentrations of the infants were similar to infants who AA and lipid given lower in the first day of life.

In healthy term neonates, skin-to-skin contact with the mother and breastfeeding with skin-to-skin contact reduce both physiological and behavioural pain response. Breastfeeding in the 1st 2 postnatal days with skin-to-skin contact did not increase the analgesic effect of skin-to-skin contact alone.

This case report emphasises that incontinentia pigmenti should be included in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous blistering lesions and central nervous system involvement in neonates.

Our initial experience with PICCs is that their use provides life-saving therapy, they are easily inserted and they are convenient. Mechanical complications were the common reason for removal and we did not see complications more serious.