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What Is the Meaning of Neonatal?

When parents welcome their newborn babies into the world, the day is filled with elation and happiness. Most babies are born without any issues or complications, but there are times when a baby is born with a problem, called a neonatal disease. Some infants show no signs of neonatal infections at birth, but signs show up within a week or two after birth. Neonatal diseases or infections in children can be fatal if left untreated.

  1. Definition

    • Neonatal is defined as the life of a newborn baby beginning immediately after birth and lasting the first 28 days of the infant's life. Infants who are born with an illness or disease often spend their first days in the neonatal intensive-care unit of hospitals, referred to as the NICU.

    Considerations

    • Infants are susceptible to infections more so than adults because their immune systems are not fully equipped to handle illness. Bacteria and infections that enter into a newborn infant's system can cause the baby to become very ill, and oftentimes the best chance an infant has of returning to health is a stay in the NICU of a hospital.

    Signs

    • Newborns who exhibit signs of neonatal disease should be taken to the doctor immediately. Symptoms of neonatal problems include listlessness, change in eating habits, changes in sleep habits, changes in temperature, changes in skin color and difficulty breathing. While some of these symptoms may not seem like anything to worry about by themselves, doctors recommend calling your health-care provider as a precaution.

    Effects

    • Some bacteria can be passed from mother to child during childbirth. Bacteria are harbored in the vaginas of pregnant women and can be given to newborns during birth. These types of bacteria can cause infants to develop illnesses such as meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis. Left untreated, these illnesses can cause the death of newborn children.

    Infections

    • Common neonatal diseases include Group B Strep, E.Coli and Conjunctivitis. Each of these diseases is treatable if caught early. If a neonatal disease is not treated, the end result in infants includes loss of hearing, respiratory, neurological and developmental problems, or even worse, death.

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