Patient's question:
My cousin's child is a preterm baby, and it has been almost 30 days since birth. It was said that the child's facial muscles around the mouth became tense today, with tight upper and lower lips. I searched online and it was mentioned that it could be neonatal tetanus. Hello doctor, how should I pay attention to it?Expected help: What are the precautions for neonatal tetanus?
Doctor's answer:
Early symptoms include crying, difficulty opening the mouth wide, and feeding difficulties. Subsequently, jaw stiffness, facial muscle tension, and upward pulling of the corners of the mouth may occur, presenting a "sighing" facial expression, accompanied by intermittent clenched fists. The upper limbs are excessively flexed, while the lower limbs are extended, resembling opisthotonos. Severe pain in the respiratory and laryngeal muscles can lead to cyanotic respiratory distress. When severe pain recurs, the child remains conscious, and any slight stimulation can trigger a recurrence of the pain. With appropriate treatment, the severe pain gradually decreases over 1 to 4 weeks, and the intervals between recurrences shorten. Breastfeeding can be resumed, and full recovery typically takes 2 to 3 months. During the course of the illness, secondary neuron pneumonia and sepsis are common.