It is quite exciting to see a new life in front of you, getting ready to face society’s challenges. However, babies are always the most vulnerable beings present on this planet. Due to the weak immune system and developing organs, they can’t cope with the hundreds and thousands of deadly microbes. When they are born with some congenital conditions, the worst-case makes things more difficult for this striving little creature. According to the recent report on child health, three in every 100 children is born with a congenital or hereditary disorder. Rest apart from ever-increasing trends of infectious diseases, and genetic illnesses are alarming. In this post, you will find the details about how to treat the medical conditions of newborns.
Most of the birth diseases are preventable and curable if encountered. However, you have to be very well equipped with the information and take the step as early as possible. It is because the disease becomes difficult or sometimes impossible to cure if left unattended. In children’s cases, one ailment can become the cause of multiple other disorders that make diagnosis difficult and afflict a child’s health for the rest of life.
If you are a new parent, you must be anxious about your little one’s health. This article has summarized the most prevailed diseases in neonates and what is their possible treatment.
Who Deal With the Serious medical conditions of newborns?
We treat infants under the supervision of specialized health care professionals. These health care professionals, including pediatricians, nurses, and paramedics, have training specifically to deal with the infant, their ailments and manage it duly to ensure a healthy life ahead.
As children, especially infants, are among the high-risk groups and most vulnerable populations present, the healthcare staff dealing with them gets training accordingly.
For example:
American Academy Of Pediatrics and American Heart Association initiated a useful program called NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) for the healthcare professionals dealing with infants at the crucial time of delivery. Only the nurses with NRP certification can work in a department dealing with medical conditions of newborns having cardiopulmonary emergencies. After every two years, you need an NRP Certification Renewal, or it may be more frequent according to your hospital’s policies.
Common medical conditions of newborns and Infants
Congenital Heart Defects
Congenital heart defects are prevalent among infants for ages. It is an anatomical abnormality affecting the structure and general function of the heart.
Diagnosis:
Congenital heart defects can even risk an infant’s life. A healthcare professional usually discover it as an abnormal sound or murmur during a routine examination. To confirm the diagnosis, the physician asks to perform various other tests and ECGs.
Symptoms:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Feeding problems (leading to obesity)
- Rapid and abnormal heartbeat
- Pale grey or bluish skin
Treatment:
Mechanical aid, like pacemakers, is the solution. First-line therapy is using drugs to treat the symptoms. Another option left is surgery.
Cleft Lip or Palate
1 in 700 babies appears to have cleft palate syndrome. It is caused by the inability of the hard palate in the mouth to fuse during the development.
Diagnosis:
This anatomical abnormality is diagnosed right after the birth, and no complicated tests are needed to determine it.
Symptoms:
- Wheezing while breathing
- Feeding non-compliance
- A cleft in the upper portion of the mouth
Treatment:
Children with cleft palate usually need a speech pathologist to help them with their language skills. The only treatment is surgery after three months of age. The other to repair the anatomical conditions is done within six months but usually no later than 12 months.
Sickle Cell Disease:
It is a biochemical disorder in which the blood cells are deformed and have difficulty traveling in the blood vessels. One in 625 children suffers from this disease. It is most prevalent in African-American.
Diagnosis:
Due to its colossal prevalence, there is a mandatory blood test for sickle cell anemia in more than 30 states. The results of this test help in the early diagnosis.
Symptoms:
- Severe Pain
- Vital Organ Damage
- Jaundice
- Pale babies
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- A lot of microbial infections
Treatment:
We always use symptomatic disease treatment. It means you can’t eliminate the root cause but can alleviate symptoms. You will then work to reduce the severity and frequency of pain, manage anemia, and so on.
Clubfoot:
One in 1000 newborns have this disorder. Most of the affected population is that of boys and includes tons of foot and ankle deformities.
Diagnosis:
The child’s feet are turned inside towards the ankle. The feet rotate in a way that the soles face each other. The exact cause is yet difficult to determine. However, most probably, it is due to environmental or genetic factors.
Symptoms:
- One or both feet affected.
- No painful
- Affect the baby at the time he tries to stand up.
Treatment:
Exceptional help from a physiotherapist is required to help the child fight with the difficulty in standing. Soon after diagnosis, the physiotherapist forces the child’s feet into the correct position and recommends special exercises. Sometimes the baby needs more urgent and drastic treatment, for example, bandaging with splints, plasters, or surgery. The treatment may be for the long term and can also take several years.
Conclusion:
Multiple microbes and other factors are ready to attack your baby as soon as he takes his first breath. As the infant is making a radical transition from the womb’s cushion to this multi-faceted world, he is in the first line fighting against deadly viruses. It is also the time when their body organs are just learning to coordinate. The only way they have to respond to the abnormality inside is by crying. So, you need to be very cautious about the signal your baby is giving. Remember, an early diagnosis proves the best cure. In case you feel any abnormality or your baby is crying more than usual, contact your health care professional right away!
