This blog contains information about Blue Baby Syndrome. It starts with explaining the condition of Blue Baby Syndrome. Then it explains the Causes of Blue Baby Syndrome in detail. It also contains the common Symptoms of Blue Baby Syndrome. Then it elaborates the Diagnosis and Treatment of this Syndrome. In the end, It tells about the Prevention of this Syndrome. This blog contains Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention of Blue Baby Syndrome.
Blue Baby Syndrome, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention.
What is Blue Baby Syndrome?
Blue Baby Syndrome or Cyanosis, is a condition in babies in which they get blueness of skin. This disease occurs when the blood of a patient have low oxygen level in their blood. Blue Baby Syndrome cause the body of the babies blue or purple tinged.
The blue appearance is visible on the thin areas of skin. These areas are lips, earlobes and nail bed. In this condition these thin areas turn blue or purplish.
The poorly oxygenated blood cause the skin to turn blue. The color of oxygenated blood appears red and the color of deoxygenated blood appears blue. This is the reason behind blueness of skin.
It is a rare disease and does not occur frequently in babies. There can be many reasons behind its occurrence. We will discuss its causes, symptoms and treatment in the headings below.
Causes of Blue Baby Syndrome:
Following are some of the causes of Blue Baby Syndrome:
• Congenital Heart diseases
Congenital means the disease present at birth in a baby. Many babies getting Blue Baby Syndrome have heart diseases by birth, that converts in the condition of blue baby syndrome after the birth. Absolute amount of deoxygenated blood can cause this condition.
• Environmental factors:
The water contaminated with nitrates can be a cause of Blue baby syndrome in new born babies. If nitrate contaminate water is consumed by mother of the baby, this condition can be transferred to the baby.
• Genetic Factors:
Genetic factors includes the genes or characteristics transferred to next generation from father’s side or mother’s side. Blue Baby syndrome can pass to next generation if it is present in either sides of parents or their families.
Blue Baby Syndrome
Symptoms of Blue Baby Syndrome:
Following are the major symptoms of Blue Baby Syndrome:
• Bluish or Purplish skin color
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Feeding issues
• Inability to gain weight
• Developmental issues
• Rapid Heartbeat or Breathing
• Clubbed fingers and toes
• Seizures
• Shortness of Breathe
All of these symptoms can be of the condition of Blue Baby Syndrome.
Diagnosis of Blue Baby Syndrome:
With the physical examination of the patient and taking detailed medical history, your pediatrician will take some of the tests for the diagnosis of Blue Baby Syndrome:
Blood Tests
X-ray (to check the size of lungs and heart)
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Oxygen Saturation Test
Echocardiogram
All these tests helps us to diagnose Blue Baby Syndrome. After these tests reports confirms if it is Blue Baby Syndrome or not.
Treatment of Blue Baby Syndrome:
In the early stages of cyanosis, medication can be used to be cured. In the case of severe conditions surgery is the only solution at a phase of life.
• Medication:
Medications that can be used for this condition raise the oxygen level on your blood to get rid of deoxygenated blood in your body by drug called Methylene Blue. Medication can only be prescribed in mild or moderate stage of Blue Baby Syndrome. For severe conditions medication is not enough.
• Surgery:
The severe condition calls for the surgery of the patient. This surgery is designed to fix the heart defect causing the excess of Deoxygenated blood and then turn the heart into normal functioning. This will turn the babies skin normal because of the formation of adequate oxygenated blood in the body.
Surgery of a Blue Baby
Prevention of Blue Baby Syndrome:
Following are the preventive measure that helps us to prevent Blue Baby Syndrome:
• Avoid Well Water:
Well water is full of nutrients including nitrates. So, to avoid cyanosis we should not drink well water. We should not give well water to our children with milk or with for drinking purpose.
• Limit Nitrate-rich Foods:
Broccoli, spinach, beets etc. are rich with nitrates. We should limit the amount of nitrate-rich foods for our children. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be used for feeding the babies.
• Avoid Illegal Drugs:
We should avoid all the illegal activities that contains drugs, smoking, alcohol and medication during pregnancy. The avoidance of such things will prevent congenital heart diseases in your baby.
By following all these measures we can prevent Blue Baby Syndrome.
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