What you need to know about Gray Baby Syndrome

🔬 CAMPUS RADIO GHANA HEALTH SEGMENT 14/04/2018

🌈 THE MIDWIFE'S CORNER

Today's topic will be on Gray Baby Syndrome

WHAT IS GRAY BABY SYNDROME (GBS)

✅ GBS refers to a condition that occurs when there is an accumulation of antibiotic chloramphenicol in neonates and infants. 

➡ It is a life threatening condition that can develop in children up to the age of 2years. 

CAUSES

✅ This condition is due to lack of glucuronidation(drug metabolism of substance such as pollutants billirubin, androgens ,  estrogen and glucocorticoids) reaction occuring in the baby ,

➡ This is because infants Hemodialysiser enzyme needed to metabolise large doses of such medication.

✅ Their system cannot  break down the drugs, toxic level of the antibiotic builds up in the infants bloodstreams. 

 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

✅ Loss of appetite in infants 

✅ Vomiting

✅ Ashen (gray color of the skin)

✅ Hypotension

✅ Cyanosis

✅ Hypothermia

✅ Abdominal respiration

✅ Increased blood lactate

✅ Green stool

✅ Dyspeonea

TREATMENT

✅ Chloramphenicol therapy should be stopped immediately

✅ Exchange blood transfusion

✅ Haemodialysis dialysis.

➡ Dialysis machine is use to cleanse toxic from the baby's bloodstream. It also balances potassium and sodium level and help control the baby's blood pressure

✅ Oxygen therapy is done to improve breathing.

  

 PREVENTION

 ✅ Expecting mothers and baby's must be given the recommended doses of chloramphenicol .   

CONCLUSION

✅ Gray baby syndrome is preventable, let's all do our best to avoid complication by not given chloramphenicol to premature neonates and infants .

➡ Expecting mothers should either avoid chloramphenicol or must endeavor to take the right doses since they are at risk of Gray baby syndrome.

REFERENCES

✅ Mclntyre j, choonara l(2004) "Drug toxicity in the neonates" 

✅ Mullchall A, louvios j Hurley (1 January 1983) " chloramphinecol toxicity in neonates: its incidence and prevention 

https://en.m.Wikipedia.org>weithoray baby syndrdialysis.

By: Stephanie Abena Serwaa Ampofo 

(School of Nursing and Midwifery, UHAS)