1. Keep an Eye on Mom's Health
Many neonatal infections are passed from mother to baby, so it's important to know whether mom has any infections. It's pretty typical for an OB-GYN to do a culture for Group B strep before childbirth (and treat with antibiotics if the culture is positive). But if your OB-GYN skipped this step, it's possible for the commonly found bacteria to be passed from you to your child. The infection causes a number of symptoms, including difficulty breathing, a high fever, trouble feeding and lethargy. A breast-feeding mother who develops mastitis, a painful infection of the mammary glands, frequently can get the infection from bacteria found in her baby's mouth. If you are being treated for the infection and notice your baby is feverish, cranky or is eating or sleeping more or less than usual, check with the pediatrician to make sure your post-natal infection isn't related to the baby's neonatal infection.
2. When a Diaper Rash Is More Than Just a Diaper Rash
Diaper rash is unavoidable--all babies get it at least once. Although it can be painful, the red, bumpy rash usually clears up in a few days with frequent diaper changes and a little ointment. Sometimes, though, a diaper rash can be indicative of a more serious neonatal infection that needs medical treatment. There are two types of diaper rashes in particular that bear attention: candida rashes and bacterial rashes. The candida rash is an infection caused by an overgrowth of yeast fungus. It often appears in conjunction with white patches in the mouth. The rash will be a solid (not patchy) red in the skin folds around your baby's genitals, and it may be bordered by red spots. It won't be resolved with over-the-counter diaper rash ointments. A bacterial diaper rash is a serious neonatal infection in which the baby's skin has a "scalded" or "burned" look. The rash is a bright, angry red and can be accompanied by spots that look like blisters or pimples. If you identify either of these rashes, it's important to call the pediatrician to set up an appointment for your baby.
3. Irritability and Crankiness Aren't Always Normal
The first signs of many neonatal infections are crankiness and irritability. If your baby isn't soothed by the typical techniques--rocking, feeding, sleeping or changing--be on the lookout for other signs, as well. Watch your baby for difficulty breathing. He may breathe too quickly or it may look as though his stomach is being sucked in when he breathes. Both of these are signs of respiratory issues. When crankiness subsides to listlessness and you're not able to engage your baby's attention or he has a fever, it's time to call the doctor.
4. Trust Your Instincts About Unusual Physical Signs
It's trite, but true: who knows a child better than her parents? You may not be able identify why, but if you have the feeling that something is "off" or not quite right, trust those instincts. A bulging fontanel, a change in your baby's color or a significant change in her heart rate are unusual physical signs that can indicate infection. If your baby's skin seems a little yellow or her eyes a little pink, don't discount these as simple oddities. That yellowing of the skin can indicate jaundice, an elevation of bilirubin in your baby's system, and her pink eyes can be just that--pink eye. Likewise, when the soft spot at the top of her head bulges or her pulse races or drops, she may have a neonatal infection.
