Do precious mothers still remember? Two to three days after the baby is born, the doctor will take blood from the baby’s heel for an examination. Is it what?
Congenital hypothyroidism
Yes, it is the baby’s thyrotropin TSH that is taken from heel blood for examination.
This examination can preliminarily judge whether the baby has congenital hypothyroidism.
Congenital hypothyroidism (hereinafter referred to as [congenital hypothyroidism]) is caused by congenital thyroid defects of the baby or iodine deficiency in the mother’s diet during pregnancy, which can seriously affect the baby’s intellectual and physical development.
One in every 2,000 newborns is congenital hypothyroidism.
What are the hazards of congenital hypothyroidism?
Thyroid hormone is very important to human body, especially to infants.
1. Thyroid hormones make the body produce heat.
Because thyroid hormone is insufficient, babies with congenital hypothyroidism often have hypothermia, and various metabolic activities of cells must be carried out within a stable temperature range.
2. Thyroid hormone promotes brain development
Thyroid hormone is essential for the normal development of baby’s central system (including brain, spinal cord, etc.). Once lacking, it can cause mental retardation, motor dysfunction, deafness, etc.
3. Thyroid hormone promotes bone development
Thyroid hormone is necessary for the normal growth and development of bones. Thyroid hormone deficiency can cause growth stagnation and short stature.
What are the manifestations of congenital hypothyroidism?
Congenital hypothyroidism brings great harm to the baby. Mothers must learn to observe whether the baby has hypothyroidism.
For example, small body length, lethargy, less crying, less movement, poor sucking power, less eating, constipation, late jaundice regression, deep jaundice, swollen face, dry and rough skin, low body temperature, large anterior fontanelle, etc.
How to check congenital hypothyroidism?
Generally, on the 2nd to 3rd days after the baby is born, after full lactation, heel peripheral blood is collected to measure TSH for preliminary screening.
If the TSH of heel peripheral blood is > 10 mU/L, it indicates abnormality, and venous blood needs to be drawn again to detect TSH and T4 so as to clearly diagnose hypothyroidism.
If the baby has the above-mentioned hypothyroidism, even if the TSH of heel peripheral blood is normal, further venous blood extraction is required for examination.
If the mother has thyroid disease, but the TSH screening of the baby’s heel peripheral blood is normal, she cannot relax her vigilance. Continue to observe whether the baby has symptoms and manifestations of hypothyroidism. Once abnormalities are found, she should go to the hospital for reexamination in time.
Early treatment to reduce injury
The reason why TSH screening is carried out 2-3 days after the baby is born, the reason why mothers are asked to pay attention to the manifestation of hypothyroidism in the baby, and the reason why mothers are urged to go to the hospital as soon as possible once the baby is found to be abnormal, is to make a clear diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism as soon as possible.
Once confirmed, it should be treated immediately, which can avoid irreversible damage to the baby’s intelligence and physical development as much as possible.
How to treat congenital hypothyroidism?
Like adult hypothyroidism, levothyroxine sodium (L-T4) is also given to babies with congenital hypothyroidism, except that the drug dose should be calculated according to the baby’s weight, and the individualization of the dose should be emphasized, i.e. The drug dose should be adjusted in time according to the baby’s treatment response.
Different congenital hypothyroidism has different treatment courses.
- Babies with congenital hypothyroidism and thyroid dysplasia need lifelong treatment. Babies without thyroid dysplasia can try to stop drugs after regular treatment for 2-3 years under the guidance of professional doctors. Some babies are only temporary congenital hypothyroidism, if it is caused by the mother taking medicine, the baby can not need treatment and regularly review the thyroid function.
How should the mother nurse the baby with low nail?
1. Pay attention to medicine feeding
For small infants, L-T4 tablets should be crushed and taken with a little water or milk added into the spoon, instead of being fed in a bottle.
Avoid feeding it at the same time as soy milk, iron, calcium, choledocholamine, cellulose and sucralfate, which may hinder the absorption of drugs.
2. Pay attention to the baby’s reaction,
Since each baby’s demand for drugs varies in dosage, it is unreasonable to calculate the dosage solely by the baby’s weight. This requires mothers to learn to observe the baby’s treatment response.
- If the drug is insufficient, the baby’s performance of hypothyroidism will not improve. If the drug is excessive, the baby will show fast heartbeat, crying and unstable sleep.
In addition to observing the baby’s performance, it is necessary to take the baby to the hospital regularly for reexamination according to the doctor’s requirements. The doctor will check the baby’s thyroid function, evaluate the baby’s growth curve, IQ and bone age, and constantly adjust the drug dose.
3. Daily care
In addition to drug therapy, mothers have to work hard to do a good job of daily care for their babies.
(1) Maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, increase or decrease clothes in time to avoid catching cold.
(2) Do a good job in skin and oral care to prevent secondary infection.
(3) Hypothyroidism babies often have feeding difficulties and are prone to asphyxia. They need careful feeding to provide sufficient eating time.
(4) After entering childhood, the growth of hypothyroidism babies will accelerate. Foods with high protein, high vitamins, low salt, rich calcium and iron, and easy digestion should be given to ensure the needs of growth and development.
(5) Children with hypothyroidism are prone to slow gastrointestinal peristalsis and constipation. Children should drink enough water. Massage the abdomen several times a day; Guide children to increase their activities; Develop the habit of regular defecation.
4. Care and encouragement
Parents should give more care, love and encouragement to children whose intelligence has been damaged.
Through various methods to strengthen intellectual and physical training, you can choose suitable toys to play with games and children.
Help children master certain communication skills and handle the relationship with family and friends.
Encourage children to participate in more collective activities and truthfully express their needs so as to obtain more social support.