| Infection in newborn babies | 459.000000000000 | Infection in newborn babies | Infection in newborn babies | I | English | Neonatology | Newborn (0-28 days) | Body | NA | Conditions and diseases | Adult (19+) | Pain;Fatigue;Fever | | 2009-10-18T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 10.1000000000000 | 52.7000000000000 | 1285.00000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Learn about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment of infections in newborn babies. Trusted Answers provided by Canadian Paediatric Hospitals.</p> | <p>Newborn babies have weak immune systems. This is one reason why breastfeeding is so important: it provides the newborn baby with antibodies to help fight infection. As a result, breastfed infants have fewer infections than babies who are bottle fed. </p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>Most infections in newborns are caused by bacteria, while some are caused by viruses.</li>
<li>Symptoms of infection include temperature above 38.0 degrees C, poor feeding, irritability, excessive sleepiness, rapid breathing and change in behaviour.</li>
<li>Your newborn's infection may be treated with antibiotics, or they may need to go to the hospital for special care including IV fluids or a feeding tube.</li></ul> | <p>When a newborn baby does develop an infection, it can become a great cause for concern. This is because newborn babies can get sick very fast. Luckily, they also respond very quickly to treatment, if the infection is caught in time. If a doctor suspects that a newborn baby has an infection, they will begin antibiotic treatment right away. </p>
<h2>Causes of infection</h2>
<p>Most infections in newborn babies are caused by bacteria, and some by viruses. A mother’s birth canal contains bacteria, especially if they have an active infection. During childbirth, the baby can swallow or breathe in the fluid in the birth canal, and bacteria or viruses can get into their lungs and blood. The baby can become sick during childbirth or within the first few days after birth. As the bacteria or viruses multiply, the newborn baby can become ill very quickly. The sooner the infection is discovered and treated, the better the outcomes will be for the newborn baby. </p>
<p>There are a number of bacteria and viruses that can be transmitted from mother to newborn baby during pregnancy or childbirth. Occasionally, a newborn baby catches an infection after birth from someone who has a cold or flu. </p>
<h2>Symptoms of infection</h2>
<p>The symptoms of a beginning infection are listed below. It may be difficult at first to determine if the newborn baby has an infection, because healthy newborn babies can also have some of these symptoms even though there is no infection. In a newborn baby with an infection, these symptoms will continue and the baby needs to be checked by a doctor. </p>
<ul>
<li>irregular temperature below 36.6 degrees C (97.9 degrees F) or above 38.0 degrees C (100.4 degrees F), taken rectally </li>
<li>poor feeding and difficulty waking to feed </li>
<li>excessive sleepiness </li>
<li>irritability </li>
<li>rapid breathing at a rate over 60 breaths per minute </li>
<li>change in behaviour </li></ul>
<p>As the infection gets worse, the newborn baby may develop additional symptoms:</p>
<ul>
<li>difficulty breathing </li>
<li>bluish tinge around mouth </li>
<li>pale or grayish skin </li>
<li>high body temperature (above 38.0 degrees C or 100.4 degrees F, taken rectally) </li>
<li>low body temperature (under 36.6 degrees C or 97.9 degrees F, taken rectally), despite being wrapped with clothes and blankets </li></ul>
<h2>Diagnosis of infection</h2>
<p>A number of tests can be used to diagnose the infection. However, test results usually take two to three days to come back, so in the meantime, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for your newborn baby while they are waiting for the test results to confirm the diagnosis. For example, rapid breathing could be caused by infection, and any delay in treatment could result in the newborn baby becoming much more ill. </p>
<p>The following tests may be needed to diagnose infection in newborn babies:</p>
<ul>
<li>Complete blood count: This is when a sample of your newborn baby’s blood is taken. The complete blood count (CBC) will determine the number of each type of blood cell. Special attention is focused on the number of white blood cells (WBCs), as these can be abnormal in number when an infection is present. An abnormal number of WBCs often indicates that the newborn baby’s body is fighting some sort of infection. Results of the CBC can be obtained quite quickly. </li>
<li>Blood culture: The blood culture will determine if any bacteria can be grown in the blood. If bacteria grow in the culture, the baby has an infection in the bloodstream. The results of this test can take up to 24 hours and sometimes longer, which is why treatment is not delayed while waiting for the result. </li>
<li>Urine test: This is when a sample of your newborn baby’s urine is taken to determine its white cell count and sent away for culture. </li>
<li>Eye or skin swab: This is when pus or fluid from a possible site of infection, such as the eye or umbilical cord, is swabbed and sent away for analysis. </li>
<li>Chest X-ray: A baby needs a chest X-ray if pneumonia is suspected. </li>
<li>Spinal tap: A lumbar puncture is also called a spinal tap, and it is necessary if an infection of the lining of the brain, called <a href="/Article?contentid=761&language=English">meningitis</a>, is suspected. Before doing a lumbar puncture, a numbing cream may first be applied to the area of the spine where the lumbar puncture will take place. Local anaesthetic is then used to numb the site of the lumbar puncture. A hollow needle is inserted between the bones, called the vertebrae, of the spine. A sample of the cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawn through the needle and tested for infection. This is not a comfortable procedure; however, sedation and pain relief are provided to reduce your baby’s discomfort. Meningitis is a serious infection and the diagnosis can only be confirmed by examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. If your baby requires a lumbar puncture, try to remind yourself that the procedure is necessary in order to make an accurate diagnosis and provide the best possible treatment for your baby. </li></ul>
<h2>Treatment of infections</h2>
<p>If your newborn baby has an infection, they may be taken to the special care nursery of the hospital, where they will be placed on a warming bed or in an incubator to regulate their body temperature. They may be attached to a cardiorespiratory monitor to measure their heart rate and breathing. They may also need a monitor called a pulse oximeter to determine if there are appropriate levels of oxygen in their body. </p>
<p>If a bacterial infection is suspected, your newborn baby will be given antibiotics. As infections in the newborn baby can be very serious and require quick and effective antibiotic treatment, the antibiotics are given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. The IV is a hollow tube that sits in a vein. The IV ensures that the right amount of antibiotic enters your baby’s blood. Antibiotics are not given to newborn babies by mouth because they are not absorbed very well from the stomach. Your baby’s doctor will monitor the amount of antibiotic in your baby’s bloodstream, to make sure that they are receiving the right dosage. The length of time that antibiotics are administered depends on the type of infection that is being treated. Treatment can range from seven to 21 days. If the test results are negative, the antibiotics will most likely be discontinued. </p>
<p>Viral infections do not respond to antibiotics. Therefore, if it turns out that your newborn baby has a viral infection, they will usually need to fight the infection without medication. Supportive care, described below, will be given. Antiviral drugs are available to treat specific viruses such as herpes or <a href="/Article?contentid=899&language=English">HIV</a>. </p>
<p>In addition to antibiotics, your newborn baby may be given other supportive care. For example, they may need IV fluids to prevent <a href="/Article?contentid=776&language=English">dehydration</a>, or if they are too sleepy to eat. They may also need a tube inserted into their nose or mouth to drip milk directly into their stomach. This is called a nasogastric or gavage tube. Some newborn babies need extra oxygen during this time, especially if they have <a href="/Article?contentid=784&language=English">pneumonia</a>. </p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/infection_in_newborn_babies.jpg | | | | | | | Infection in newborn babies | | False | | | | | | | | |
