How Doctors Check New Babies (APGAR Score)
When a baby is born, doctors check them quickly to see how they are doing. This check is called an APGAR score. It helps them know if the baby’s heart and breathing are working well.
- What they check: They look at the baby’s activity, pulse (heartbeat), how they react to a gentle touch, their skin color, and their breathing.
- The score: Each thing gets a score of 0, 1, or 2. A higher score means the baby is doing well.
- What the score means:
- 8-10 points: The baby is doing great and doesn’t need much help.
- 4-7 points: The baby might need a little help and will be watched closely.
- 0-3 points: The baby needs help right away.
Yellow Skin in Babies (Neonatal Jaundice)
Some newborn babies get yellow skin and eyes. This is called jaundice. It happens when there’s too much of a yellow substance called “bilirubin” in their blood.
- Types of Jaundice:
- Normal Jaundice (Physiological): This type usually starts after the first day, gets better in a week or two, and is not serious.
- Bad Jaundice (Pathological): This type starts within the first day, can get worse quickly, and lasts longer. It always needs a doctor’s attention.
- A serious problem: If the yellow color gets too high, it can cause a problem called “Kernicterus” which can be harmful to the baby’s brain.
- Some rare problems can also cause jaundice if the body can’t process bilirubin correctly.
Breathing Problems in Babies (NRDS)
Sometimes, babies born too early (preterm babies) have trouble breathing because their lungs don’t have enough of a special liquid called “surfactant”. This is called NRDS.
- Signs: Babies might breathe very fast, flare their nostrils, and make grunting sounds.
- Treatment: Doctors can give them surfactant medicine or use a machine to help them breathe.
Fevers and Seizures in Children (Febrile Seizure)
Some children can have a “seizure” (like a short fit) when they have a sudden high fever or an infection. This is called a febrile seizure.
- When it happens: It usually happens in children between 6 months and 5 years old.
- Types of seizures:
- Simple seizure: A short fit that lasts less than 15 minutes, and the child gets back to normal quickly.
- Complex seizure: Can be longer or happen more than once in a day.
- Treatment: Doctors usually give medicine like Tylenol (Panadol) for the fever.
Brain Development Problems (Cerebral Palsy)
Cerebral Palsy is a condition where a child’s brain doesn’t develop properly, which can make it hard for them to move their body.
- What it affects: It can affect how the child moves, balances, and coordinates their body.
- Types:
- Spastic type: Makes muscles stiff, affecting arms, legs, or one side of the body.
- Ataxia: Makes it hard to balance and coordinate movements.
- Dyskinesia: Causes jerky, uncontrolled movements.
- Help: Children with cerebral palsy get supportive care to help them.
Bone Tumors in Children (Childhood Bone Tumors)
Sometimes, children can get rare bone tumors.
- Osteosarcoma: Usually happens in children 10-20 years old and causes strong bone pain, especially at night. It’s often found near the ends of long bones.
- Ewing Sarcoma: Usually happens in children 10-20 years old and can also cause bone pain. It’s often found in the middle part of bones.
- Treatment: These tumors are treated with surgery and chemotherapy.
Urine Flowing the Wrong Way (Vesico-ureteral reflux)
This is when urine from the bladder flows back up into the tubes (ureters) that go to the kidneys.
- Signs: Children might not have any symptoms, or they might have flank pain, dripping urine, or frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Tests and Treatment: Doctors can do tests like checking urine and using scans. Treatment can involve antibiotics or sometimes surgery.