Newborn Screening is simple test done in the hospital prior to your baby’s discharge. This is a test to determine if your child has a congenital metabolic disorder or “inborn error of metabolism” which may not be apparent at birth. Some may be fatal and some may cause mental retardation.A heel prick is done and actually 4 drops of blood are needed to be placed on a special absorbent filter card. It is dried and then sent to a Newborn Screening Center. A negative result means that the newborn screening is normal. A positive result means that your baby has a possibility that he has the disease and that it is important to go to the Newborn Screening Center for the confirmatory tests. The results are released within a week if your child tested positive. The parents are notified immediately by phone call. On the other hand, it takes a month for the written results to come out if your baby tested negative.In the Philippines, the following are being tested in the Newborn Screening: congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, galactosemia, phenylketonuria and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
In congenital hypothyroidism, there is absence of the thyroid hormones. If this is not detected early, this may cause stunted growth and mental retardation.
In congenital adrenal hyperplasia, there is severe salt loss and dehydration which may be fatal to newborns.
In galactosemia, there is accumulation of excess galactose in the body which results to cataracts, liver and brain damage.
In phenyketonuria, there is accumulation of phenylalanine which causes brain damage.
In G6PD deficiency, babies develop hemolytic anemia when they are exposed to certain drugs, food or chemicals.
Newborn Screening
Newborn Baby Care – How to Take Care of Newborn Baby
Giving birth to a child is sometimes really amazing and it is safe when the baby is in its mother’s womb. about “how to take care of newborn baby”. Know well what will be the newborn baby needs, except for the love that you offer. You need a good knowledge of baby food, sleep and skin. It’s sometimes excruciating that you can’t handle it to your wishes since the skin, eyes, bottom and other features are so delicate. There are some common baby skin problems like baby gerbils, baby acne, cradle caps and heat rash with sunburn common with newborns of any country.
Baby skin care: Skin care is the foremost factor in spite of its adaptability to the new environment. Skin is so red that it offers irritation and infection to every touch. So, it’s best to wash cloths with special detergents. Baby skin loses moisture quickly and it needs time to absorb and retain moisture to its need. So, keeping your child with cold or warm perfume baths daily is not suggestive but may be on alternative days suiting other conditions. New born baby care is so gentle that it needs special treatment. It’s best for protecting the baby from bacterial infection by using homemade baby wipes and diaper to cleaning your little ones.
Umbilical cord: Until and after the falling down, the area around the umbilical cord should be kept clean with hygienic soft cotton with alcohol application.
Head care: Head is so delicate with soft hair. To keep clean use only baby skin care natural shampoo perhaps the same product. The pulpy scalp is a protected area against rough handling when padding anything around it.
Heat rash and sunburn: Skin learns to accommodate with new surrounding and so nothing is there to worry. Whatsoever, keeping off the baby from direct sunlight for a long time should be avoided as a measure of infant care against heat effects. Protecting the baby appropriately perhaps with cheap baby clothing suiting to the weather is wise of the mother.
Baby acne and cradle caps: Baby acne may have its effect for the first two or three months but no need to treat unless infected. It is protected with homely and regular baby baths with natural care therapy. Cradle caps should be handled with soft brush to clean using some herbal moisturizer. It’s best to use natural baby products avoiding synthetic products like talcum powder complimented by organic skin care treatments to avoid dry skin.
Newborn baby care is not so easy to all. It is a skill with the parents especially the mother to know how to take care of newborn baby.
Learning How to Manage a Newborn
If you are a first time parent, having a baby can be both exciting and scary at the same time. Managing a newborn is quite a challenging task. If you have never had any experience handling babies, it can be even more scary. Don’t worry because your instincts will kick in and guide you in your new parenting life. Any questions you have can be answered by the nurse or doctor. Here are some ideas to manage your newborn baby.
Newborn Crying: Do Not Get OverwhelmedNewborns are known for their crying. After all, this is their main form of communication. If a baby does not cry, it is possible that something is wrong with your baby. He could be deaf, have mental problems, or there could be another major issue that will affect his newborn development.If your baby is crying more than you expected, the first thing to remember is to stay calm. Your baby can feel every tense muscle in your body if you get anxious. There are a number of ways you can stay calm to keep your baby from getting more upset: sing to your newborntalk to your newborn in a soft voicefind comforting techniques your newborn enjoys like swinging, bouncing in a bouncy chair, or rocking him in a rocking chairNEVER SHAKE YOUR NEWBORN BABY. Thousands if babies die each year from sudden shaken syndrome. The brain inside your baby’s head will bang against the inside of the skull and cause brain trauma. If your baby does not die, he could end up in a very critical condition that could paralyze or affect his newborn development in some way. Newborn Eating: Stages of Eating DevelopmentMother nature intended for your newborn to be fed nothing but mother’s breast milk for at least the first 12 months. It is society that has taught us to feed our newborns formula and baby food from their earlier developmental stages. If you plan to give your baby cereal and baby food, doctors suggest you wait till he turns six months old so their little bodies have time to adjust. Allergies can develop when you start them earlier on. Never give your baby water. You may be familiar with your baby’s soft soft on the top of his skull. This is a way that doctors can determine dehydration in a newborn by the sunken in look of the outer skin. This does not always mean your baby is dehydrated, making you rush to give him water. If you notice this, simply start the newborn feeding by offering the breast for milk or bottle with formula. Your newborn should be feeding a minimum of 8 times a day and up to 12 times a day, depending on the frequency. If your baby seems very hungry and feeding every hour or more, this is known as cluster feeding. It is very normal to cluster feed and it is part of the newborn development. Newborn Development: How Your Baby ChangesYour newborn will go through a number of changes during the first year. They may get a little fussy with the newborn crying, but this is all part of the development. Your baby will learn new ways of crying to demand the things he needs, such as, diaper changing, newborn feeding, or attention. Physical changes are a huge part of your newborn development. Pushing up, crawling, walking, and running are things you should expect your newborn to accomplish over the twelve months. Do not underestimate your baby’s abilities because you be in for a shocker to see an ability being done early, like walking at nine months. Always show excitement for your baby and give him positive reactions to encourage him to do more.Paying attention to newborn crying, newborn feeding, and newborn development can help you stay calm to manage your newborn. Your newborn knows what is going on when you are upset, so do everything you can to maintain a peaceful attitude and environment.