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Pediatric Cardiology | by Dr. Subhendu Mandal | Published on 26/10/2024
You might have seen newborns with blue or purple skin. But have you ever wondered why this happens and what maybe the reason behind it is? This unique condition is popularly called the blue baby syndrome. It is a medical condition caused by a lack of oxygen in babies' blood. Is it fatal for the baby? How long does this last? What can be done to help newborns with this condition? As a soon-to-be parent, it is essential that you are aware of this condition. So let’s dive deeper into this topic. If your child is also facing any such problem, contact our pediatric cardiologist at BM Birla Heart Hospital, Kolkata.
Blue baby syndrome is medically known as infant methemoglobinemia or cyanosis. It is a rare medical condition found in newborns. At birth, the skin colour of an average newborn is reddish-purple, and their skin turns bright red when the baby cries. But if your baby is not turning red while crying or if your baby’s lips and hands appear blue and purple, there might be a chance your baby has cyanosis or blue baby syndrome.
The bluish or purple tinge usually appears on thin skin, like lips, earlobes, and nail beds. It happens when your baby’s blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen to the tissues.
Besides the blue and purple skin colour of the baby, other symptoms of blue baby syndrome include:
In a normal human body, the blood goes into the lungs to get oxygen and is distributed in every part of the body. Due to the abnormalities of the lungs or heart and low haemoglobin levels, the blood is deprived of enough oxygen to send to the cells, tissues, and organs. This condition causes blue skin in the baby, which means the baby's blood is oxygen-deprived.
However, the blue baby syndrome is also caused by various factors, which include:
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect that involves four types of heart defects that cause oxygen-poor blood to flow in the baby's body due to reduced blood flow.
The four defects are:
Methaemoglobinemia is a heart condition found in newborns under six months old wherein excessive haemoglobin is produced. So, in this condition, the nitrate in the baby's body gets converted to nitrite and combined with the blood to form methemoglobin. Moreover, methaemoglobin is a kind of haemoglobin that cannot release oxygen to the cells, which causes the babies to turn blue and purple.
This condition develops during the gestational period because of uncontrolled blood sugar in pregnancy. Other causes of blue baby syndrome are,
At birth, the infant is often placed under the NICU for recovery from the blue baby syndrome. But this can happen in the months following birth as well.
If you find blue baby syndrome disease’s symptoms in your baby, consult the best paediatrician in your area. Your doctor will note down the symptoms of your baby through physical examinations. They might suggest various tests to find the exact cause of this condition, such as:
A pulse oximetry is also done to find out the oxygen saturation in the blood. After performing all these tests, your doctors can determine if the baby is suffering from infant methemoglobinemia and the exact cause behind it.
There are several effective and advanced treatment options available for blue baby syndrome, including:
If your baby has a congenital heart defect, your doctor might suggest surgery. The procedure involves an intracardiac corrective repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) to close the ventricular septal defect (VSD).
This will help to increase the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta without any restrictions. This medical procedure fixes the thickened pulmonary valve and enlarges the pulmonary arteries. It will increase the blood flow to the lungs.
Besides surgery, this condition can also be treated through medicine. The medical approach is to administer intravenous methylene blue to treat blue baby syndrome. Make sure the baby is given that only under clinical supervision.
Additionally, parents need to take preventive measures during this procedure by avoiding drinking contaminated water from wells or ponds. Consult an experienced paediatrician or neonatal specialist to ensure that the baby is properly monitored round the clock and attended to at the slightest discomfort.
Watching their newborn in distress can be equally stressful for new parents. In such circumstances, it is ideal that every new parent is duly supported by an experienced paediatric healthcare provider to ensure prompt diagnosis and quick access to treatment. For answers to more queries regarding this, reach out to our experts at (location)
Blue baby syndrome is primarily caused by nitrate pollution in drinking water, often from agricultural runoff, fertilisers, or improperly managed waste.
Yes, it can be fatal if not treated promptly, as the condition reduces oxygen in the blood, leading to severe complications, including potential organ damage or death.
Yes, it can be treated effectively. The main steps involve providing supplemental oxygen to the baby and addressing the underlying nitrate contamination by ensuring access to safe, clean drinking water.
