Patient's question:
Patient Age: Forty days. The baby was born via cesarean section due to premature rupture of membranes and is full-term. Jaundice appeared within 24 hours, and the baby was sent to the neonatal department for treatment. Since we are in a small county, we don't have the conditions for further diagnosis. Therefore, I would like to ask, what are the symptoms of hypoxic encephalopathy, could it be a misdiagnosis, and what should be the next treatment steps?Doctor's answer:
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in newborns refers to hypoxic-ischemic damage in newborns caused by perinatal asphyxia (referring to the period from 28 weeks of gestation to 1 week after birth). It is classified into mild, moderate, and severe based on the condition:Mild: Over-arousal state, irritability, excitement, and high agitation (tremors, shakiness), normal muscle tone, active reflex, normal reflexes and smooth breathing, no terror. Symptoms gradually disappear within 3 days, with a good prognosis.
Moderate: Inhibited state, drowsiness or coma, low muscle tone, seizures in 50% of cases, apnea, and reflex. In full-term infants, muscle tension in the lower limbs is more severe than in the upper limbs. If symptoms persist for 7 to 10 days, sequelae may be present.
Severe: The child is in a coma, with extremely low muscle tone.