Category: Pediatrics

What Are Neonatal Disorders?

Neonatal disorders are usually conditions in which there is a disturbance in an infant’s body, organs or any evident abnormal bodily functions are present. Birth defects are a common kind of neonatal disorder.

There are three types of birth defects, such as functional, structural or developmental. Structural disorders occur when a particular body part is missing, or it appears to be misshapen. Whereas, functional and developmental disorders lead to specific parts of the body not working properly. Here is a list of other common neonatal disorders:

• Encephalopathy: This condition causes the newborn to have problems in feeding and breathing. They might fall into a state of unconsciousness frequently as well. 
• Intracranial Hemorrhage: It causes a lot of bleeding in different parts of the brain, and it mostly occurs in premature infants. 
• Down Syndrome: This condition triggers a slow response to the mental and physical development of the baby. 
• Sickle Cell Disease: It occurs when there is a deformity in the blood cells. 
• Cystic Fibrosis: A disorder that affects the lungs and respiratory system. 
• Heart Defects: This is a heart condition that is present at birth that can affect the heart walls, valves, and blood vessels. 
• Cleft Lip: This structural disorder occurs when there is an open space in the roof of the mouth.
• Spina Bifida: In this condition, the spinal cord does not develop properly and that leads to complications. 
• Clubfoot: Clubfoot occurs when the position of the foot is inwards rather than pointing outwards. 

When Is The Risk Of A Birth Defect Higher?

Every pregnancy has some complications and there is always a risk of neonatal disorders appearing after birth. Usually, disorders appear when there is an existing family history of disorders, if the mother consumed alcohol, drugs, and smoked during pregnancy and if the mother’s age is 35 or above while she is pregnant. 

How Can The Disorders Be Diagnosed?

Sometimes the birth defects can be spotted during pregnancy through ultrasounds. Furthermore, some screening tests can be done to see whether women with high-risk pregnancies may give birth to an infant with a disorder. Most birth defects can be accurately diagnosed after birth through an examination. Make sure to consult a pediatrician in the post-pregnancy period to determine whether there are any birth defects in your baby. 

How Can You Treat It?

The treatment can depend on the child’s condition and if the disorder symptoms range from mild to severe. Medications can be used to reduce the risk of disorders or lower the size of complications that can possibly occur. Often,  surgeries can be performed to completely fix the disorder or decrease the level of symptoms that may appear in the future. 

How Can You Prevent Defects In Your Baby? 

Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent neonatal disorders, but there are several ways that can decrease the risk of delivering a baby with birth defects. Alcohol, drugs and smoking should be completely avoided during pregnancy, instead women should focus on consuming a lot of supplements and vitamins. 

Visit IMH to avail the best neonatal care we have to offer. We have the best ob-gyn doctors that can help you out during pregnancy!

Immunization, also known as vaccination or vaccine shots, is a way to protect an infant against harmful diseases since their body might not be strong enough to fight them on its own. Infants are more prone to catching any kind of diseases, hence, infant immunization has become very important as more and more diseases are being found. 

Nowadays, parents are becoming more aware of the different ways in which they can protect their child’s health from the start. Immunization is a common method that many parents turn to in times of need. Not only does immunization protect the children from deadly diseases, but it also eliminates any potential risks. It is always advised to consult a pediatrician before exposing your child to any kind of vaccinations.  

Sometimes parents believe they do not need to get their child vaccinated against rare diseases despite what their pediatrician would tell them, and that is a risky thing to bet on. You can not guarantee whether your child is going to contract a disease or not, so it is always better to be safe than sorry. 

When Does Your Child Need Immunization?

Your children will need vaccines in different stages of their life, but the most important stages are when they are newborns until their bodies become fully developed to fight on their own. Around the time after their birth, they will receive 3 doses of a vaccine that will protect them against Hepatitis B, a virus that can cause the liver to become extremely swollen and can prove to have long-lasting complications. It is recommended that your child receives vaccines from ages 0-6 and then yearly flu shots after that. 

Benefits Of Immunization

Immunisation helps your child by protecting them against dangerous diseases and makes their body stronger. Not only are you going to be protecting your child from temporary illness but also making sure that they live long safely enough.  If your child is protected from diseases, then, as a result, you are protecting a whole community by stopping the diseases from spreading.  

Difference Between Vaccination and Immunization

Immunization and vaccination are intertwined together as one of them involve the other. Vaccination is when a vaccine is inserted into your body through an injection. Immunization is the process that your body goes through after the vaccine has been injected into the body. Your body issues an immune response when it is triggered by the vaccine. This method makes your child’s immune system stronger and helps it fight the disease. 

Tips On Immunization 

Immunization involves side effects as well. The side effects may include soreness and swelling in the place where the injection was inserted and fever. It is best to consult your child specialist so that you can be aware of how serious the symptoms are. It is recommended that you keep a record of all the vaccinations that your child receives so that the doctors can be sure that a vaccine is not being given to the child repeatedly. 

Visit us at IMH Dubai today to receive the best neonatal care. Our child specialists have years of clinical expertise and are well equipped to help you.