Hypoglycemia in newborns is low blood sugar( drops below 2.2 mmol / l).It becomes one of the frequent causes of death among children or leads to severe CNS diseases. This condition requires immediate diagnosis and treatment to avoid deplorable consequences.
Causes of
Disease Hypoglycemia occurs in a newborn immediately after birth or up to a maximum of five days after it. The most common cause is prematurity or intrauterine growth retardation, carbohydrate metabolism( congenital) can be disrupted.
The disease is divided into two main subgroups:
- Transient - is of a short-term nature, usually occurs after the first days of life and does not require long-term treatment.
- Persistent. It is based on congenital abnormalities, which are accompanied by organic disorders of carbohydrate and other metabolism in the body. They require maintenance therapy.
The causes of transient hypoglycemia are divided into three groups:
- mother's diabetes or high glucose intake shortly before birth;
- intrauterine fetal hypotrophy, asphyxia during labor, infections and insufficient adaptation of the child;
- application of insulin prolonged action.
In any case, the occurrence of hypoglycemia requires the observation of a doctor or immediate therapy.
Symptoms of
Hypoglycemia in newborns has its symptoms, however, it also distinguishes asymptomatic form. In the second case, it can be identified only by checking the blood for the level of sugar.
Symptomatic symptom is seen as an attack that does not go away without the introduction of glucose or supplemental feeding. Separate them into somatic, which take the form of shortness of breath, and neurological. And the symptomatology from the side of the central nervous system can be diametrically opposed: increased excitability and tremor or confusion, lethargy, a state of oppression.
Somatic manifestations are almost invisible, they develop gradually and result in an attack, which begins unexpectedly. Finish such a state can be a sugar coma, at this point the count goes for seconds to introduce the required amount of glucose.
Hypoglycemia in premature infants
Hypoglycemia in preterm infants does not differ in their symptoms from normal children. You may notice:
- impatience;
- improper development of the body;
- a small amount of food intake;
- apathy;
- asphyxiation;
- seizures;
- cyanosis.
Such a picture of the development of your child will indicate a decrease in the level of sugar in the blood. However, preterm infants have a better chance of seeing the disease on time, since more tests are being given and the doctors are more closely watched than for the child who was born on time.
If the disease is detected on time, the treatment will be fairly simple - give your child water with glucose, perhaps, administer it intravenously. Sometimes, they can add insulin for better absorption of sugar by the body.
Consequences of the disease
The defeat of the central nervous system occurs only with the advanced stage of the disease and a prolonged coma. Most often you manage to notice the symptoms in time and to treat hypoglycemia. The main thing to monitor the state of the newborn and about any changes to inform the attending physician.
Treatment of infant hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a fairly common disease that occurs in 1.5 to 3 cases of 1,000 newborns. Transit( passing) happens in two of three cases among premature infants. The likelihood of getting this disease is also in children whose mothers suffer from diabetes mellitus.
If a child initially falls into the risk group for receiving hypoglycemia after birth, he needs to perform additional tests: take blood for sugar in the first 30 minutes of life, then repeat the analysis every 3 hours for two days.
In this case, the prevention of the disease in full-term children, who are not at risk, is a natural breastfeeding that reimburses the nutritional needs of a healthy baby. Breastfeeding does not require the introduction of additional drugs, and signs of the disease can appear only due to malnutrition. At the same time, if the clinical picture of the disease develops, it is necessary to identify the cause, possibly, the level of heat is insufficient.
If medication is required, glucose administration is given as a solution or an intravenous infusion. In some cases, insulin may be added. At the same time the child should be on constant monitoring of doctors to prevent the decrease in blood sugar level below the critical level.
Dosage of medications for medical treatment of
After diagnosis of hypoglycemia of a newborn, doctors control its blood sugar level. Proceeding from this, treatment is prescribed. If glucose decreases by less than 50 mg / dl, intravenous glucose solution with a concentration of up to 12.5% is started, counting 2 ml per kg of body weight.
When the condition of a newborn is improved, breastfeeding or artificial is returned, gradually replacing the glucose solution with normal feeding. The drug should be discontinued gradually, a severe discontinuation may cause hypoglycemia.
If the child is difficult to enter the required amount of glucose intravenously, then the treatment is prescribed intramuscularly. All appointments are prescribed by a doctor who is obliged to monitor the level of sugar in the blood of the child.
Do not forget that the sooner a disease is detected, the sooner a positive effect will appear, so carefully follow the development and behavior of your crumbs. If you bring the condition of hypoglycemia to a coma, it affects the central nervous system, which can lead to death.
