IS YOUR BABY ILL?
YOUR newborn baby is still looking so young and fragile. She is just adapting to life outside the womb, independent of the mother’s body systems. Her body systems however, are not mature enough to fight illness and disease- and that is why your baby needs to be vaccinated against some diseases. Babies born prematurely are more at risk of these infections.
You also need to take good care of him/her in the first few months and years of life. To keep your baby in good health:
o Ensure that she gets immunised against certain diseases as required. If in doubt, consult a paediatrician on this.
o Keep your baby away from congested rooms and over-crowded places. This will guard against viruses transmitted via the air.
o Keep your baby away from people who have communicable or contagious diseases like coughs and colds.
o Always wash your hands before handling the baby, especially if you have been outdoors for long- to prevent transferring infections to your child.
o Allow young siblings to play with the baby only under supervision. Other small children have a tendency of giving the baby their thumbs, or other things to suck.
Newborns often have subtle signs and symptoms of disease, rather than the obvious signs observed in older children and adults. If you notice any sign that is an indicator of disease, ensure your child gets a medical checkup to rule out any silent ailments.
What should you look out for?
Yellowing of the skin or eyes
This is commonly called jaundice. Jaundice occurs mainly as a result of the immaturity of the liver, and will occur in most infants born prematurely. If you notice that your child has developed yellowness, then you should consult your doctor immediately. This is because some diseases are associated with this jaundice, including malaria and sickle-cell disease.
Very little activity and signs of constant tiredness
During the first few days, newborn babies tend to sleep most of the time. If stimulated slightly, the baby will stir and respond to the stimulation. Later on the baby is so active, that you will always notice whenever there is a problem. If the baby starts crying weakly, almost as if he has no energy at all, becomes restless or has a problem feeding, you need to seek medical help.
Breathing
It is good to monitor your baby’s breathing. If you observe that your baby occasionally seems not to be breathing well, verify with a doctor whether the baby has apnoea. This is absence of breathing, or temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep. It occurs in the respiration of newborns, in whom the respiratory system is immature or depressed.
If you notice that your child is breathing rapidly (more than 60 breaths per minute), has deep movements of the lower chest and upper abdomen, is breathing noisily, or lips and tongue are turning bluish, then he/she could be unwell.
Count your child’s breaths when he/she is calm and resting. Do not count his/her breaths while he/she is crying or immediately after feeding. You will not get the correct result.
Body temperature
Young children are prone to low body temperature, especially because their system is not mature enough to keep up with changes in temperature. To know whether your child is suffering from low temperature, touch the soles of the feet with the back of your hand then touch the tummy. If the soles feel colder, then your child is suffering low temperature- also called hypothermia. This increases the baby’s energy needs. Your child may also develop a fever as a result of infection. In case of high temperature, sponge the baby with a warm and wet piece of doth (never use cold water to cool a baby) and seek medical help.
Problems with passing stool or urine
Usually, within the first 24-48 hours of birth, a newborn baby passes her first stool or urine. A healthy baby can have 8-12 bowel motions in a day. The baby may pass stool even with the passage of wind or after feeding.
Sometimes babies pass stool or urine immediately after birth, while in the delivery room. If the baby delays in passing his first stool or urine, she may need a medical check-up. Sometimes babies are born with a blocked anus or urethra (urine passage). If this is the case, surgery will be necessary to eliminate the defect.
Vomiting
Babies usually expel some of the milk together with the wind they have swallowed during feeding. This is normal, and can be prevented by helping the baby to bring out the wind (burping). Hold the baby upright against your shoulder and massage the area between the shoulder blades until the wind comes out. However if the vomiting is persistent, forceful, greenish-yellow or brown, seek help immediately.
Diarrhoea and weight loss
Diarrhoea is usually a sign of infection. Make sure that you observe hygiene, and that your child gets treated for every form of diarrhoea. One of the risks of diarrhoea is dehydration, therefore watch for signs of this too.
Observe your baby for any signs of weight loss. It is normal for your child to lose a bit of weight shortly after birth, but he/she will soon regain it. Failure to add weight can be associated with disease or malnutrition.
You are likely to be the first one, to detect any signs of illness in your child. Be observant and seek medical help whenever there is a problem.
END: BL 4/58-59