Patient's question:
My aunt recently gave birth to a little baby. But when the baby is sleeping, she noticed that sometimes the baby's breathing becomes rapid, and sometimes it is accompanied by some groaning. Why do newborns have respiratory distress?Doctor's answer:
Hello. According to your question, this disease is also known as neonatal hyaline membrane disease. Progressive respiratory distress and respiratory failure symptoms occur shortly after birth. This is mainly due to the lack of surfactant in the alveoli, leading to progressive alveolar collapse. Between 4 to 12 hours after birth, the child may experience progressive respiratory distress, grunting, cyanosis, and inspiratory retractions. In severe cases, respiratory failure may occur. The incidence rate is related to gestational age. The smaller the gestational age, the higher the incidence rate. The lighter the weight, the higher the mortality rate. It is recommended not to be too anxious and to take the child to the hospital for examination to determine if there are any abnormalities. Since the child is relatively young, the functions of organs such as the respiratory system have not yet fully matured.