Necrotizing enteritis is a serious pathology in babies. The lighter the baby's weight at birth or the earlier the birth, the higher the risk of necrotizing enteritis, which affects the nutritional absorption process necessary for the development and life of the child.
1. What is necrotizing enteritis in babies?
Necrotizing enteritis is a serious pathology that affects the structure and intestinal function of premature babies. The disease usually occurs within the first 2 weeks of life in babies who are fed formula instead of breast milk.
Regarding the pathogenesis of necrotizing enteritis in babies, bacteria enter the intestinal wall and cause an inflammatory reaction. The consequences will make the structure of the intestinal mucosa lose its integrity and allow germs from inside the intestinal tract to leak into the abdominal cavity, which is inherently a eptic environment. If not treated, necrotizing enteritis is a dysenterous disease that can lead to total peritonitis, abdominal infections that spread to sepsis and other serious variables, including death.
2. What causes infant necrotizing enteritis?
To date, the true cause of infant necrotizing enteritis is not well understood. It has been suggested that necrotizing enteritis in babies can occur if the lower digestive system is not given enough blood and oxygen. Accordingly, bacteria from the environment inside the intestinal cavity will increase pathogenicity, damage the intestinal mucosa. At this time, the cells will degenerate and necrosis, the intestinal wall is punctured and the infection will spread into the abdomen.
Another thesis was raised when some observations showed necrotizing enteritis in babies bornprematurely rather than full-month babies. These are babies with incomplete lung and intestinal structure, weaker and less mature functions than full-month babies. That can make it impossible for the child's body to provide enough blood and oxygen to the end of each intestinal cell.
3. What risk factors can cause babies to have necrotizing enteritis?
It is quite fortunate that necrotizing enteritis in babies is also relatively rare. The disease affects only 1 in 2,000 to 4,000 live births. Although necrotizing enteritis can occur in any newborn baby, the disease will tend to be suffered in premature babies weighing less than 1500 grams.
In addition, babies born will also be able to suffer from necrotizing enteritis if there are some of the following risk factors, including:
- Premature birth: Premature babies will have a more incomplete body than full-month babies. This means that these children may experience defects in the path of blood circulation and oxygen transportation. Besides, the intestinal tract of babies is immature, not ready to fight the infection, so it will increase the chances of suffering necrotizing enteritis in babies.
- Formula feeding: Any premature baby is at risk of necrotizing enteritis. However, the likelihood will increase if these babies are fed with formula without receiving breast milk. Because, breast milk is the best and most suitable source of food for babies, easier to digest, contains substances that help fight infections and help intestinal cells grow.
- Difficult birth or low oxygen levels at birth: Babies born after a prolonged labor or low oxygen levels after birth are more likely to suffer necrotizing enteritis. Because when there is so little oxygen, the body prioritizes bringing blood and oxygen to the brain and heart first. This will further reduce blood flow to the intestinal tract, leading to anaerobic and necrotic transformation.
- Other risk factors: In addition to the above factors, babies are more susceptible to necrotizing enteritis if there is an infection available in the intestinal tract, there is a high concentration of red blood cells circulating in the blood or the newborn is seriously ill or has received a blood transfusion…
4. What are the symptoms of infant necrotizing enteritis?
Symptoms of necrotizing enteritis in babies can be very different in each child. However, in most cases, the child will have the following signs and will usually progress rapidly during the first two weeks of life:
- Constant fuss
- Unpleasant, broken
- Abdominal obstruction or flatulence
- Bowel movements decrease or lose completely
- Food stagnation in the stomach
- Vomiting of green juice from the stomach
- Vomiting blood
- Shortness of breath
- Tachycardia
5. How to diagnose infant necrotizing enteritis?
In addition to the above symptoms – it is easy to confuse with other gastrointestinal diseases or in multi-agencyal lesions, necrotizing enteritis can be diagnosed based on abdominal X-rays and do some blood tests. These sublinicals are very common, easy to perform in every infant intensive care room.
During an X-ray of her abdomen, necrotizing enteritis will show images of tiny air bubbles creeping through her intestinal wall. Abdominal ultrasound sees more obstruction of the intestinal medd and decreased hypertension. Besides, blood tests also show signs of infection.
6. What are the treatments for infant necrotizing enteritis?
The treatment of necrotizing enteritis in babies will depend on a number of factors, including the age of the baby at preterm birth, overall health and other accompanying conditions.
At this time, the doctor will consider to take each step the following treatment:
- Stop oral feeding so that the intestinal tract reduces excretation and rests, quickly heals again.
- Place the tube through the nose and into the stomach to drain the gastric secrety outwards, releasing the volume burden in the abdomen.
- Infusion to ensure energy and adequate supply of water, electrolys.
- Intrained antibiotics to fight infections
- Regular X-rays to monitor obstruction, delayed
- Provide additional oxygen or ventilators if the abdomen is too obstructed and respiratoryly threatening
- Isolate from other children to prevent the spread of necrotizing enteritis
After the symptoms mentioned above are in remission, it is shown that the child improves the infection (usually after 5 to 7 days), the baby can start suckling again by mouth.
Cons, if the condition is not better when actively treated or there are complications of perforation of the intestines, the child will need emergency surgery. Through the opening of the abdomen, the doctor will isolate and remove the intestinal passage with a necrotic mucous membrane, cleaning the entire abdominal cavity.
In summary, necrotizing enteritis in babies is one of the most common diseases in premature babies. Although the cause of the disease is unknown, in children with a high risk, universal necrotizing enteritis precautions should be taken at birth by breastfeeding completely. At the same time, when the child has any of the above signs of doubt, it is necessary to actively examine and treat, improving the long-term forecast.
The pediatrics department at Share99 International Health Hub is the address to receive and examine the diseases that babies as well as young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children,… With modern equipment, ile space, minimize the impact as well as the risk of spreading the disease. Along with that is the dedication from experienced doctors to pediatric patients, making the examination no longer a concern of parents.
Customers can directly go to Share99 Health System nationwide for examination or contact the hotline HERE for assistance.
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