Cyanosis in newborns, what should you know about it?
A birth is a reason for joy. Parents receive a new member of the family and bring a life to this world. However, everything does not always go well and sometimes you have to face some problems in the delivery. Unforeseen alterations that require that during the first years of the child's life, it requires special attention.
An example is cyanosis, a heart disease that is characterized by causing the child to be born with a bluish tone that causes a great fright among the parents. Understanding this problem means better help from everyone in the house. Pay attention to the characteristics of this heart problem will allow to determine the gravity of it and the treatment that is required.
What is cyanosis
Cyanosis is a cardiac problem by which the blood that reaches the whole body does not have the necessary levels of oxygen. This causes the body to acquire a bluish tone, the most characteristic symptom of this condition. Sometimes it can be caused by a garment that cuts off circulation in a limb, for example a sock with a rubber that tightens too much.
Another cause may be the appearance of a hematoma or a trauma after a fall or slight suffocation. However, there is another cause that requires further revision by the parents: a heart disease that prevents the child's circulatory system from transmitting the necessary oxygen to the rest of the body.
Parents must pay attention to the color of their children. Usually children with cyanosis usually have nails, lips and even tongue with blue tones. In the first place it will be necessary to check if there has not been a problem such as a hot flash in the little one that has prevented him from breathing properly. Otherwise, it will be necessary to go to the specialist to confirm the diagnosis of cyanosis and start an adequate treatment.
Among the causes that explain cyanosis, specialists detail the following:
- The tricuspid valve (the valve between the 2 chambers on the right side of the heart) may be absent or may not open enough.
- The pulmonary valve (the valve between the heart and the lungs) may be absent or may not open enough.
- The aortic valve (the valve between the heart and the blood vessels that go to the rest of the body) can not be opened enough.
- Greater thickness in the blood, especially in newborns, which means a circulation at a lower speed and oxygenation below what is recommended.
Treatment of cyanosis
The first step to solving cyanosis is to find the cause of the same, either by clothes that tighten too much or because there really is a congenital heart disease, or simply the child is cold. In case the problems have been seen in situations in which in principle there were no external factors that explain this problem.
The first step will be to make several exams for the child suspected of suffering from cyanosis:
- Chest x-ray
- Analysis of the oxygen level in the blood by means of an arterial gasometry or checking through the skin with a pulse oximeter
- Complete blood count
- Echocardiography
- Examination of the structure of the heart and blood vessels using echocardiography or an MRI of the heart
- Pass a flexible and thin probe (catheter) to the right or left side of the heart, usually from the groin (cardiac catheterization)
- Transcutaneous oxygen monitor (pulse oximeter)
- Dolopler ultrasound
- Examination of the electrical system of the heart
In the case of finding heart disease as a cause of cyanosis, surgery is one of the solutions to this problem. In these cases, it is also recommended later to teach children breathing exercises to ensure correct levels of oxygen in their blood. Also for these minors it is recommended to practice exercise to strengthen your heart and ensure aorrecta circulation.
Cardiologists can also recommend the use of medications that relax the arteries to ensure the passage of blood through the blood vessels and thus provide oxygen to different parts of the body. Usually the forecast It is usually good, although it will require special attention from the child ensuring a good diet and physical activity to avoid problems derived from a sedentary lifestyle or a menu rich in fat.
Damián Montero
