Neonatal jaundice is a common medical condition that affects approximately 2/3 of healthy newborn infants, according to Dr. Daniel Homme with the University of South Alabama. The characteristic features of neonatal jaundice, such as yellow skin or...
Quite often after delivery, newborn babies have yellow-looking skin. This yellow discoloration, known as neonatal jaundice, is one of the most common conditions in newborns, and requires evaluation and treatment by medical professionals, according...
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports group B Streptococcus is the leading cause of septicemia and meningitis in newborns. Septicemia is an infection of the bloodstream, and meningitis is an infection of the lining of...
Meningitis, or inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, can develop at any age, but is particularly dangerous in newborns, a condition called neonatal meningitis. Neonatal meningitis is typically fatal if untreated and even...
Neonatal herpes simplex virus, or HSV, is transmitted from an actively infected mother to baby. Transmission can occur in utero, if infection ascends through the cervix and vagina, or during labor as the infant passes through the vagina. HSV can...
Neonatal herpes is a potentially fatal infection caused by the herpes virus. Neonates catch the virus during the birthing process, especially if it is a vaginal delivery and the mother has active herpes lesions at the time. But most babies with...
Neonatal jaundice, a common condition in newborns occurs when a baby accumulates too much bilirubin in his body. Parent's and caregivers will see a yellow discoloration in the baby's skin and the white part of his eyes. In physiologic jaundice,...
Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition in which there is too much bilirubin in the blood. Most bilirubin comes from the normal breakdown of old red blood cells. Babies are not easily able to get rid of the bilirubin and it can build up in the blood,...
The skin is a large protective covering of the body that's responsible for exuding sweat when the body temperature becomes too high. It also serves to protect the body from the environment. Sometimes infants can develop bumps, cysts or spots on...
The symptoms of neonatal, or congenital, hypothyroidism may be difficult to diagnose without a blood test, though there are warning signs that you can watch out for. Infants who are suffering from hypothyroidism often have poor eating habits,...
Meningitis is an infection of the spinal fluid and the meninges, which are three layers of protective tissue that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis that occurs during the first three months of life is termed neonatal meningitis. When...
Thrombocytes are platelets. They have the important job of helping the blood clot to stop someone from bleeding. They circulate throughout the bloodstream, and when a blood vessel is damaged, within seconds they are at the damaged area. Platelets...
Unlike other conditions, neonatal hypothyroidism isn't generally an inherited disorder. In fact, 85 percent of cases occur sporadically without any connection to the mother's prenatal health. Because of this, there are few ways to prevent or...
The earlier neonatal hypothyroidism is diagnosed, the better the chances are that your child will develop normally. The first months of life are crucial to development, so it is essential that a sick child begin treatment immediately. The goal for...
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...
Autism eludes strict definition because symptoms fall on a spectrum and vary between people. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for autism at their 18-month well checks. Autism is difficult to diagnose...
If your child has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, it is important that you have a solid understanding of the treatment. There is no cure for the disorder, though medications are available that will ensure that your child grows and develops...
Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant need to take special care with what they eat and how much they weigh. Most women gain more weight than doctors recommend, and a small percentage of women gain less than the recommended amount....
Platelets are cellular fragments within bone marrow and tissues that play an important role in stopping active bleeding. Neonatal thrombocytopenia refers to a low number of platelets in a baby's blood. According to the book, "Hematology: Basic...
As a new parent, you may wince at the thought of your brand new baby experiencing a painful medical procedure. Unfortunately, part of providing comprehensive medical care to new babies includes obtaining blood tests. While your baby will benefit...
The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism. Approximately 2.5 percent of women have an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, during pregnancy, according to the American Thyroid Association. Pregnancy appears to...
Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, in neonates rarely causes symptoms. Premature infants are more prone to develop hyperglycemia, as reported by the Merck Manual Home Edition, because of their decreased ability to regulate their blood sugar. The...
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, a vitamin that dissolves in oils and fats. It helps build strong bones and helps form blood clots. Neonates do not have any vitamin K, so they are unable to form blood clots to prevent any potential...
Clubfoot, a congenital birth defect where one or both feet point downward and inward, affects 1.2 in 1,000 children, reports the University of Missouri Health System. In around 50 percent of cases, clubfoot affects both feet. Clubfoot affects boys...
Newborns who can't take oral feedings because of prematurity or illness may need parenteral feedings, meaning feedings through an intravenous infusion. Lipids infusions contain oils such as safflower or soybean oil or other fats that contain...
The most common forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, result from an interaction of environmental triggers with the additive effects of several gene mutations that predispose the patient to diabetes. Rarer forms, collectively called monogenic...
While the risk of transmitting neonatal herpes is minimal, the possibility still exists that an infected pregnant mother can pass herpes to her unborn child. Fortunately, taking the proper precautions can help parents avoid the devastating...
Newborns with hypoglycemia---a medical condition referred to as neonatal hypoglycemia---have low levels of blood sugar in the first days following birth. Sugar levels in newborns may drop for a number of reasons, including elevated insulin levels,...
Although strokes are commonly associated with adults, they can occur in newborns during the birth process or in utero. Neonatal strokes can be ischemic, meaning a blood clot reduces blood flow to an area of the brain, or hemorrhagic, meaning...
