If your infant has been diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome, you may wish to go over the following five questions with your pediatrician:
1. Why does the diagnostic report for my baby mention hyaline membrane disease as well as ARDS? Is my baby suffering multiple conditions?
Hyaline membrane disease is the old name for the condition that is currently known as the respiratory distress syndrome in infants (RDS). If your doctor diagnoses your baby’s disease as either:
• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, or
• Infant respiratory distress syndrome
he or she essentially means the baby is ill with hyaline membrane disease. This disease generally affects premature babies born earlier than the 28-32 weeks of gestation.
2. What exactly happens in this condition?
In acute respiratory distress syndrome, the alveoli (or small air sacs at the end of bronchioles in the lungs) are lined with dead cells and proteins thus making gas exchange in the lungs difficult. The hyaline membrane begins to take on a glassy appearance. The cause of the hyaline membrane disease (HMD) is the deficiency of a molecule called surfactant, which triggers the process of dead cell deposition on alveoli. In some cases the structural flaw of the lungs also aggravates the condition.
What happens is that the surfactant, which is a mix of lipoproteins and phospholipids, is secreted to the lung tissues to reduce the surface tension in the air passages and help the alveoli open for gas exchange. If there is not enough of this surfactant, then the alveoli are forced to close/collapse with each exhalation or breathing out. As this happens affected and destroyed cells (the hyaline cells) gather in the airways and cause more obstruction. It must be noted that the weak or ill-formed ribs of the preterm baby aggravate the situation causing deep retractions, insufficient inhalation and sometimes eventual collapse of the lungs where a ventilator is required to do the breathing for the baby.
3. Besides the labored breathing and chest retractions, what other symptoms can I expect to see for my baby?
There are times when ARDS/HMD condition though present, is not apparent in preterms and may be asymptomatic to start with. However, most babies who suffer from it do exhibit the following symptoms, which heighten at three days after birth:
• Rapid breathing (Tachypnea)
• Grunting
• Signs of insetting lung collapse (Atelectasis)
• Flaring nostrils
• Blue coloring of skin due to inadequate oxygen levels in the blood
4. Is being a preterm baby responsible for him or her contracting ARDS?
Yes. They preterm babies belong to the high risk groups. Any of the following conditions predisposes babies to higher risk of contracting ARDS:
• The low birth weight, preterm, or premature babies
• An older child who suffered HMD
• Cesarean section deliveries
• Infant boys
• Multiple birth babies (twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc.)
• Babies with prenatal infections
• Infants with prenatal asphyxia (pre-birth suffocation)
• Infants with patent ductus arteriosus
• Infants whose mothers are diabetic
• Infants who surfactant release mechanism has been disturbed.
5. What are the statistics on the diseases?
Statistics show that hyaline membrane disease affects approximately one percent of all newborn infants and is the leading cause of death among preterm births (Source: Rodriguez RJ, Martin RJ, and Fanaroff, AA. Respiratory distress syndrome and its management. Fanaroff and Martin (eds.) Neonatal-perinatal medicine: Diseases of the fetus and infant; 7th ed. (2002):1001-1011. St. Louis: Mosby). It is cited that the occurrence of RDS reduces dramatically as the fetus age increases from 50 percent in babies of 26-28 weeks in the womb to approximately 25 percent at 30-32 weeks.
ALL INFORMATION GIVEN IN THIS ADVOCACY SHEET IS TO BE CHECKED WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THEM OR TAKING THEM AS STANDARD OR VERIFIED.
Mamta Singh is a published author of the books Migraines for the Informed Woman (Publisher: Rupa & Co.) and the upcoming Rev Up Your Life! (Publisher: Hay House India). She is also a seasoned business, creative and academic writer. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. Mamta is an NCFE-certified Holistic Health Therapist SAC Dip U.K. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. She runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation. Link: http://www.migrainingjenny.wordpress.com and http://www.footstrike.wordpress.com