1 Division of Newborn Medicine, The University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2 Division of Pediatric Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
In Reply.
We appreciate the interest in our recent article that identified a previously unrecognized movement disorder in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We suspect from Dr Cole's comments that she can confirm some of our observations. However, her use of imprecise language makes it difficult to draw such a conclusion decisively. We refer to language such as "frantic movement," "disorganization in the motor system," "attempt to re-organize," "attempt to defend themselves from a stressful environment," "overtaxed autonomic system," "behavioral disorganization," "tongue thrusting... a learned behavioral response to stress," and "autonomic disorganization."