Private suffering made public

Paediatrics has recently attracted more than its fair share of attention from the broadcast media. The latest offering from Carlton TV is a fly on the wall documentary series based in Watford Hospital's special care baby unit.

Episode one follows David, a term infant born by elective caesarean section who developed what appeared to be persistent fetal circulation, was ventilated and given intensive medical support for a few days, and survived. The second episode traces the path of a mother from her premature rupture of membranes at 28 weeks, through delivery of a premature baby, Alan, again needing ventilation …