Paeds neonates Flashcards
What is the APGAR score used for?
To indicate progress over the first 5 minutes after birth
What is the APGAR score out of?
10
What are the components of the APGAR score?
- Appearance (skin colour)
- Pulse
- Grimmace (response to stimulation)
- Activity (muscle tone)
- Respiration
For each aspects of the APGAR score, what points can you score?
0, 1 or 2
What merits point in the Pulse section of the APGAR score?
- Absent - 0
- <100 - 1
- > 100 - 2
What does delayed cord clamping reduce the risk of? What does it increase the risk of?
- Reduces risk of intraventricular haemorrhage and necrotising enterocolitis
- Increases risk of neonatal jaundice
What is the first stage of neonatal resuscitation? What is they are under 28 weeks?
- Dry the baby
- Babies under 28 weeks are placed in a plastic bag while still wet and managed under a heat lamp
What is the most common cause of neonatal sepsis?
Group B streptococcus
When should antibiotics for neonatal sepsis be commenced?
- If there are 2 or more risk factors or clinical features of sepsis
- If there is a single red flag for sepsis
What are first line antibiotics for neonatal sepsis?
Benzylpenicillin + gentamycin
When should CRP be checked in babies with neonatal sepsis?
- Immediately
- At 24 hrs
- At 36 hrs
- At 5 days IF they are still on treatment
Give 4 causes of hypoxic ischaemia encephalopathy
- Maternal shock
- Intrapartum haemorrhage
- Prolapsed cord
- Nuchal cord
What % of babies with severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy develop cerebral palsy
90%
Other than supportive management what treatment can help protect the brain from hypoxic injury?
Therapeutic hypothermia
What is the goal of therapeutic hypothermia?
To reduce inflammation and neurone loss after acute hypoxic injury
What temp are neonates cooled to for therapeutic hypothermia? For how long?
- 33-34 degrees
- 72 hours
When does normal neonatal jaundice appear and resolve by?
- Day 2-7
- Day 10
When is neonatal jaundice considered pathological?
Jaundice in the first 24 hrs of life
How can the causes of neonatal jaundice be divided?
- Increased production of bilirubin
- Decreased clearance of bilirubin
What is kernicterus?
Brain damage due to high bilirubin levels
What is the reason for breast milk jaundice?
Components of breast mild inhibit the ability of the liver to process the bilirubin
What causes haemolytic disease of the newborn?
Incompatibility between the rhesus antigens on the surface of the red blood cells of the mother and foetus
What is classed as prolonged jaundice in full term babies?
Jaundice >14 days
What is classed as prolonged jaundice in premature babies?
Jaundice >21 days
Give 3 causes of prolonged jaundice
- Biliary atresia
- Hypothyroidism
- G6PD deficiency
What blood test would detect haemolysis?
Direct Coombs Test
In jaundiced neonates, what are total bilirubin levels plotted and monitored on?
Treatment threshold charts
What happens in kernicterus?
Bilirubin crosses the blood-brain barrier
How does kernicterus present?
- Less responsive
- Floppy baby
- Poor feeding
Who does necrotising enterocolitis affect?
Premature neonates
What happens in necrotising enterocolitis?
The bowel becomes necrotic
True/false: NEC is less common in babies fed by breast milk
True