Neonates Flashcards
What type of cerebral palsy is associated with an intraventricular haemorrhage?
spastic diplegic cerebral palsy due to the anatomical proximity of the corticospinal tracts.
What are the four causes of jaundice in the first 24 hours of life?
rhesus haemolytic disease
ABO haemolytic disease
hereditary spherocytosis
glucose-6-phosphodehydrogenase
What percentage of infants born at 26-28 weeks will have SDLD?
50%
What percentage of infants born at 30-31 weeks will have SDLD?
25%
What other risk factors are there for SDLD?
Male sex
Diabetic mothers
C-section
Second born of pre-term twins
What appearance is seen on a chest x-ray with a neonate with `SDLD?
Ground glass appearance with an indistinct heart border
How do you manage SDLD?
prevention during pregnancy: maternal corticosteroids to induce fetal lung maturation
oxygen
assisted ventilation
exogenous surfactant given via endotracheal tube
When is the neonatal blood spot screening performed? (heel-prick/guthrie test)
5-9 days of life
Which conditions are screened for with the heel prick test?
congenital hypothyroidism cystic fibrosis sickle cell disease phenylketonuria medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) isovaleric acidaemia (IVA) glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA1) homocystinuria (pyridoxine unresponsive) (HCU)
What might a jittery hypotonic neonate represent?
Neonatal Hypoglycaemia
What are the risk factors for neonatal hypoglycaemia?
maternal diabetes mellitus prematurity IUGR hypothermia neonatal sepsis inborn errors of metabolism nesidioblastosis Use of maternal labetalol
What is galactosaemia?
Galactosemia is a rare genetic metabolic disorder that affects an individual’s ability to metabolize the sugar galactose properly. Galactosemia follows an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance that confers a deficiency in an enzyme responsible for adequate galactose degradation.
What is PKU?
Our bodies break down protein in foods like meat and fish into amino acids, which are the “building blocks” of protein. These amino acids are then used to make our own proteins. Any amino acids that aren’t needed are broken down further and removed from the body.
People with PKU can’t break down the amino acid phenylalanine, which then builds up in the blood and brain. So can’t have breast milk.
What is classified as prolonged ROM?
> 18 hours
How is bilirubin excreted in the womb?
Bilirubin is not conjugated by the fetus, so it is excreted by placental transfer but after birth conjugation and hepatic excretion of bilirubin must take over.
Which enzyme conjugates bilirubin which doesn’t develop until after birth?
Gluconyl transferase
What percentage of infants are visibly jaundice in the fist week of life?
60%
If jaundice is present in the first 24hours, what is it?
Always pathological
What are the rules of physiological jaundice?
Not apparent in the first 24 hours, the infant remains well, the serum bilirubin does not reach treatment level, the jaundice fades by 14 days.
What are the causes of pathological jaundice?
Rhesus haemolytic disease, ABO haemolytic disease, hereditary spherocytosis, glucose-6-phosphodehydrogenase.
Is jaundice more common in bottle or breast fed babies?
Breast fed
What is breast milk jaundice?
Breast milk jaundice is a type of neonatal jaundice associated with breastfeeding. It is characterized by indirect hyperbilirubinemia in a breastfed newborn that develops after the first 4-7 days of life, persists longer than physiologic jaundice, and has no other identifiable cause.
What is the most important blood test in a baby with jaundice?
Test for raised CONJUGATED BILIRUBIN level because if its conjugated then it is probably BILIARY ATRESIA because the liver is still able to conjugate the bilirubin so this would be a post-hepatic cause of jaundice.
How many days is it normal to have jaundice?
Day 2-14
Which blood tests must be performed in the newborn with jaundice?
Look for maternal antibodies on antenatal blood tests and check the babys bilirubin, haemoglobin and Coombs test. (direct anti-body test)
What is the most common cause of haemolytic jaundice?
ABO incompatibility
What is involved in the jaundice screening?
Coombs test, TFTs, FBC and blood film, urine for MC&S and reducing sugars, U&E’s and LFTs
What is kernicterus?
This is when unconjugated bilirubin can enter the brain and cause neuronal damage. High serum bilirubin, preterm birth, acidosis or hypoxia
What does phototherapy do?
When serum bilirubin is high, treatment with phototherapy through the light of a wavelength converts unconjugated bilirubin to non-toxic isomers and this allows bilirubin excretion without conjugation.
What are the haemolytic causes of neonatal jaundice?
ABO incompatibility, rhesus or other isoimmunisation, red cell defects eg G6PD deficiency..
What are more physiological causes of neonatal jaundice?
Prematurity, bruising, polycythaemia, dehydration, sepsis.
What are the causes of prolonged jaundice?
Breast milk, biliary atresia, neonatal hepatitis, hypothyroidism, inborn errors of metabolism (galactosaemia).
What happens in ABO incompatibility and how is it treated?
Usually the mother in O and the baby is A or B and the maternal anti-A cross over to the baby. The treatment is exchange transfusion.
What 4 things happen in exchange transfusion?
Removes bilirubin, removes haemolysing red cells, corrects anaemia and removes antibody.
What is the treatment for Rhesus disease in babies?
May need in-utero transfusion and exchange transfusion.
How does Coombs test work?
You basically want to see if there are antibodies attached to the red cells so you add an antiglobulin (an antibody against antibodies). This will then cause clumping if they are present.
How is therapy for jaundice decided?
Serum bilirubin is plotted against age (in hours) to decide upon therapy
When is the guthrie test carried out and what does it test for?
One week, sickle cell & other haemoglobinopathies, congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria (PKA) and acyllcarnitine.
What is tested within 72 hours?
Eyes, heart, hips, testes (for males) and automated hearing screen
What happens at 8 weeks?
Thorough physical for eyes, heart, hips and testes.
What happens at 9-12 months?
Language & learning, safety, diet & behaviour assessment.
What happens at 2-2.5 years?
General development, including movement, speech, social skills and behaviour, dentist, sleeping habits, healthy eating etc etc.
What is the life span of a RBC or an infant?
70 days