MCN PEDIATRICS

• Common Health Problems Common in Newborns

  • Problems related to Maturity
  • Problems related to gestational weight
  • Acute conditions of the neonates
• Prematurity


  Condition of being born before 37 weeks of gestation
• Prematurity


  • Causes: maternal health issues, multiple pregnancies, or genetic factors
  • Signs and Symptoms: Underdeveloped organs, low birth weight, respiratory distress, difficulty feeding, jaundice
• Postmaturity


  Condition of being born after 42 weeks of gestation
• Postmaturity


  • Causes: Inaccurate due date calculations or certain pregnancy complications
  • Signs and Symptoms: Dry, cracked, or peeling skin, meconium staining, decreased fetal movements, hypoglycemia, and respiratory distress
• Small for Gestational Age (SGA)

  Newborns with birth weight below the 10th percentile for their gestational age
• SGA


  • Causes: Maternal factors such as poor nutrition, smoking, alcohol use, or certain medical conditions
  • Signs and Symptoms: Low birth weight, poor muscle tone, difficulty maintaining body temperature, feeding difficulties
• Large for Gestational Age (LGA)

  Newborns with birth weight above the 90th percentile for their gestational age
• LGA


  • Causes: Maternal factors such as gestational diabetes, maternal obesity, or genetics
  • Signs and Symptoms: High birth weight, difficulty with vaginal delivery, increased risk of birth injuries, hypoglycemia
• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)


  Breathing disorder that affects newborns, especially premature infants, due to immature lungs
• RDS


  • Cause: Insufficient production of surfactant in premature lungs
  • Signs and Symptoms: Rapid breathing, grunting, flaring nostrils, cyanosis, retractions
• Meconium aspiration syndrome


  Condition where a newborn inhales meconium stained amniotic fluid, leading to respiratory distress
• Meconium aspiration syndrome


  • Causes: Fetal distress, post term pregnancy, or maternal conditions can cause the release of meconium before birth
  • Signs and Symptoms: Rapid breathing, grunting, barrel shaped chest, cyanosis, meconium staining on skin and nails
• Sepsis


  Severe infection in the bloodstream that can affect newborns, causing systemic inflammation and organ dysfunction
• Sepsis


  • Causes: Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections acquired during birth or from the environment
  • Signs and Symptoms: Fever or hypothermia, poor feeding, lethargy, respiratory distress, jaundice
• Hyperbilirubinemia


  Condition where there is an excess of bilirubin in the blood, leading to yellowing of the skin and eyes
• Hyperbilirubinemia


  • Causes: Immature liver function, blood type incompatibility, or certain medical conditions
  • Signs and Symptoms: Yellowing of the skin and sclera, poor feeding, lethargy, high pitched cry
• Sudden death syndrome (SDS)


  Unexpected death of an otherwise healthy infant, typically during sleep
• SDS


  • Causes: Unknown, but risk factors include sleeping on the stomach, soft bedding, exposure to smoke, and prematurity
  • Signs and Symptoms: Sudden and unexplained death of an infant under one year of age, often during sleep
• Common Health Problems That Develop During Infancy

  • Orofacial Clefts
  • Abdominal Wall Defects
  • Imperforate Anus
  • Intussusception
  • Hirschsprung Disease
  • Colic
  • Trisomy 21
  • Failure to Thrive
  • Neural Tube Disorders
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Acute Otitis Media
  • Bacterial Meningitis
  • Febrile Seizures
  • Autism/ADHD
• Cleft lip


  Congenital condition characterized by a gap or split in the upper lip
• Cleft lip


  • Causes: Genetic factors, maternal smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy, or certain medications
  • Signs and Symptoms: Visible split or gap in the upper lip, difficulty with feeding, speech problems
• Cleft palate


  Congenital condition characterized by an opening or gap in the roof of the mouth
• Cleft palate


  • Causes: Similar to cleft lip, genetic factors, maternal smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy, or certain medications
  • Signs and Symptoms: Visible split or gap in the roof of the mouth, difficulty with feeding, nasal regurgitation
• Omphalocele


  Congenital condition where abdominal organs protrude through the umbilical cord opening in the abdominal wall
• Omphalocele


  • Cause: Failure of the abdominal wall to close properly during fetal development
  • Signs and Symptoms: Visible protrusion of abdominal organs through the umbilical cord opening, respiratory distress, feeding difficulties
• Gastroschisis


  Congenital condition where abdominal organs protrude through a hole in the abdominal wall, usually to the right of the umbilical cord
• Gastroschisis


  • Cause: Failure of the abdominal wall to form properly during fetal development
  • Signs and Symptoms: Visible protrusion of abdominal organs to the right of the umbilical cord, respiratory distress, feeding difficulties
• Imperforate anus


  Congenital condition where the opening of the anus is either partially blocked or absent
• Imperforate anus


  • Cause: Failure of the anal opening to form properly during fetal development
  • Signs and Symptoms: Absence of a normal anal opening, difficulty passing stool, abdominal distension
• Intussusception


  Medical emergency where a portion of the intestine invaginates into another section, causing obstruction
• Intussusception


  • Cause: The exact cause is often unknown but can be associated with infections or structural abnormalities
  • Signs and Symptoms: Severe abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody stool, abdominal mass
• Hirschsprung disease


  Congenital condition where nerve cells are missing in parts of the colon, leading to difficulty passing stool
• Hirschsprung disease


  • Cause: Failure of nerve cells to form in the colon during fetal development
  • Signs and Symptoms: Chronic constipation, abdominal distension, failure to pass meconium shortly after birth
• Colic


  Condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable crying in an otherwise healthy infant
• Colic


  • Cause: The exact cause is often unknown but may be associated with gastrointestinal discomfort, immature digestive systems, or parental stress
  • Signs and Symptoms: Excessive crying, clenched fists, pulling legs towards abdomen, difficulty soothing
• Trisomy 21


  Genetic condition characterized by an extra chromosome 21, also known as Down syndrome
• Trisomy 21


  • Cause: Non disjunction during cell division, resulting in an extra copy of chromosome 21
  • Signs and Symptoms: Intellectual disability, characteristic facial features, developmental delays, congenital heart defects
• Failure to Thrive


  Condition where infants or children fail to gain weight and grow at the expected rate
• Failure to Thrive


  • Causes: Inadequate caloric intake, malabsorption, underlying medical conditions, or psychosocial factors
  • Signs and Symptoms: Poor weight gain, developmental delays, lethargy, irritability