Not only adults, babies and children are also at risk for hypoglycemia. And this condition can cause health complications for your baby's health, possibly even brain damage
Like adults, hypoglycemia in babies and children also occurs when a baby's blood sugar is lower than normal. If not treated in time, this can cause serious damage to the baby's brain. However, most mothers do not notice or ignore hypoglycemia in their newborn babies.
Hypoglycemia can have a devastating effect on a child's nervous system if it is not treated promptly
1 / Why do babies have hypoglycemia?
During the first few hours after birth, your baby's blood sugar tends to drop. However, most of these cases are not dangerous. Babies can maintain their body's sugar levels through breastfeeding.
Babies whose mothers have gestational diabetes often have higher insulin levels at birth, which affect their baby's blood sugar. In addition, premature babies, children with sudden hypothermia, and infections are also at risk of hypoglycemia.
2 / Signs of hypoglycemia in children
In a newborn baby, symptoms of hypoglycemia will appear 3-48 hours after birth, including the following signs:
- Rapid drop in body temperature, pale skin, cyanosis, cold hands and feet
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, hunger, irritability
- Rapid, rapid, and strong breathing
- In severe cases, there may be convulsions, coma
41% of neonatal hypoglycemia usually occurs in preterm infants, with a low birth weight of less than 2.5 kg. According to experts, the disease can cause serious effects on the child's nerves in the future. Therefore, newborn babies should be promptly diagnosed and treated.
3 / Children with hypoglycemia, how to handle?
- For premature babies or low birth weight babies, mothers need to breastfeed early and skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth. In more severe cases, your baby will be prescribed a liquid glucose infusion.
- Older children, when detecting signs of hypoglycemia, should be breastfed immediately. For babies who often suffer from hypoglycemia, mothers should feed their children many meals. Avoid leaving your baby hungry for a long time.
Care for low birth weight babies For premature babies, due to poor digestive function and body temperature regulation, immature lungs, susceptible to respiratory failure, atelectasis, pulmonary hemorrhage, endothelial disease ... Malnourished children in the uterus are often at risk of hypoglycemia due to lack of glucose stores