A newborn child has not yet fully formed organs and systems, and it takes some time to complete the formation. It is in the process of the baby’s growth that the central nervous system also forms and matures. The nervous system of the baby helps regulate its normal existence in the world.
In some cases, a CNS lesion of the newborn can be diagnosed, which has recently been encountered quite often. Oppression of the nervous system can provoke serious consequences and leave the child disabled.
The structural feature of the nervous system of the newborn
A baby is different from an adult not only in external differences, but also in the structure of his body, since all systems and organs are not fully formed. During the formation of the brain in a child, unconditioned reflexes are pronounced. Immediately after birth, the level of substances that regulate hormones responsible for the functioning of the digestive system rises. At the same time, all receptors are already well developed.
Causes of CNS pathology
The causes and consequences of damage to the central nervous system of newborns can be very different. The main factors provoking impaired functioning of the nervous system are:
- lack of oxygen, or hypoxia;
- birth injuries;
- metabolic disturbance;
- infectious diseases that the expectant mother suffered during pregnancy.
A lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, occurs in the case of a pregnant woman working in hazardous work, with infectious diseases, with smoking, previous abortions. All this violates the general blood circulation, as well as the saturation of blood with oxygen, and the fetus receives oxygen along with the mother’s blood.
One of the factors leading to damage to the nervous system is considered birth trauma, since any injury can provoke a violation of maturation and subsequent development of the central nervous system.
Disruption of normal metabolism occurs for the same reasons as lack of air. Drug addiction and alcoholism of the expectant mother also lead to dysmetabolic disorders. In addition, medication with potent drugs can affect the nervous system.
Critical for the fetus may be infectious diseases carried by the expectant mother during the bearing of the child. Among such infections, herpes and rubella should be distinguished. In addition, absolutely any pathogenic microbes and bacteria can provoke irreversible negative processes in the body of the child. Basically, problems with the nervous system occur in premature babies.
Periods of CNS pathologies
The syndrome of damage and depression of the nervous system combines several pathological conditions that occur during the period of intrauterine development, during labor, and also in the first hours of life of the baby. Despite the presence of many predisposing factors, only 3 periods are distinguished during the disease, namely:
- acute;
- recovery;
- the outcome of the disease.
In each period, damage to the central nervous system in newborns has various clinical manifestations. In addition, children may experience a combination of several different syndromes. The severity of each ongoing syndrome allows you to determine the severity of damage to the nervous system.
Acute course of the disease
The acute period lasts for a month. Its course directly depends on the degree of damage. With a mild form of the lesion, jerking, increased excitability of nerve reflexes, chin trembling, sudden uncontrolled movements of the limbs, and sleep disturbances are observed. A child can cry very often for no apparent reason.
With moderate severity, there is a decrease in motor activity and muscle tone, weakening of reflexes, mainly sucking. This condition of the baby must be alert. By the end of the first month of life, the available symptoms can be replaced by hyperactivity, an almost transparent skin color, frequent regurgitation and flatulence. Often a child is diagnosed with hydrocephalic syndrome, characterized by a rapid increase in head circumference, increased pressure, bulging fontanel, and strange eye movements.
With the most severe degree, a coma usually occurs. This complication requires the child to be in the hospital under the supervision of a doctor.
Rehabilitation period
CNS damage in newborns during the recovery period has the following syndromes:
- increased excitability;
- epileptic;
- motor impairment;
- delays in the development of the psyche.
With a prolonged violation of muscle tone, there are often delays in the development of the psyche and the presence of impaired motor functions, which are characterized by involuntary movements provoked by contraction of the muscles of the trunk, face, limbs, and eyes. This prevents the normal purposeful movements of the child.
With a delay in the development of the psyche, the baby begins much later to hold its own head, sit, walk, crawl. He also does not have enough good facial expressions, a reduced interest in toys, a weak cry, a delay in the appearance of babble and humming. Such delays in the development of the child's psyche must necessarily alert parents.
Disease result
By about a year, a CNS lesion in newborns becomes apparent, although the main symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. The result of the pathology becomes:
- developmental delay;
- hyperactivity
- cerebroasthenic syndrome;
- epilepsy.
As a result of this, there may be cerebral palsy and a child’s disability.
Perinatal CNS Damage
Perinatal damage to the central nervous system in newborns is a collective concept, implying a violation of the functioning of the brain. Similar violations are observed in the antenatal, intrapartum and neonatal period.
Antenatal begins at the 28th week of fetal development and ends after birth. Intranatal includes the period of labor, starting from the onset of labor and until the birth of the baby. The neonatal period begins after birth and is characterized by the adaptation of the baby to environmental conditions.
The main reason for the occurrence of perinatal damage to the central nervous system in newborns is hypoxia, which develops with an unfavorable course of pregnancy, birth injury, asphyxiation, infectious diseases of the fetus.
The cause of brain damage is considered intrauterine infections, as well as birth injuries. In addition, there may be damage to the spinal cord resulting from injuries during childbirth.
Symptoms largely depend on the period of the disease and the severity of the lesion. In the first month after the birth of the child, an acute period of the course of the disease is observed, characterized by inhibition of the nervous system, as well as hyper-excitability. Gradually normalized muscle tone. The degree of recovery largely depends on the degree of damage.
The disease is diagnosed in the maternity hospital by a neonatologist. The specialist conducts a comprehensive examination of the baby and, based on existing signs, makes a diagnosis. After discharge from the maternity hospital, the child is under the supervision of a neurologist. To make a more accurate diagnosis, a hardware examination is performed.
Treatment should be carried out from the first hours after the birth of the baby and diagnosis. In the acute form, therapy is carried out strictly in a hospital under the constant supervision of a doctor. If the disease has a mild course, then treatment can be carried out at home under the supervision of a neurologist.
The recovery period is carried out comprehensively, and at the same time, physiotherapeutic methods, such as physiotherapy, swimming, manual therapy, massages, speech therapy sessions are used along with medications. The main goal of such methods is the correction of mental and physical development in accordance with age-related changes.
Hypoxic-ischemic damage to the central nervous system
Since often it is hypoxia that provokes damage to the nervous system, then every expectant mother should know what leads to hypoxia and how this can be avoided. Many parents are interested in what is a hypoxic-ischemic lesion of the central nervous system in newborns. The severity of the main signs of the disease largely depends on the duration of the child's hypoxia in the prenatal period.
If hypoxia is short-term, then the disorders are not so serious, oxygen starvation lasting for a long time is more dangerous. In this case, functional brain disorders or even death of nerve cells can occur. To prevent a disorder of the nervous system in an infant, a woman should be very attentive to her health during child bearing. If you suspect the presence of diseases that provoke fetal hypoxia, you should immediately consult a doctor for treatment. Knowing what it is - a hypoxic-ischemic lesion of the central nervous system in newborns, and what are the signs of the disease, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of pathology during timely treatment.
Forms and symptoms of the course of the disease
Damage to the central nervous system in newborns can occur in several different forms, namely:
The mild form is characterized by the fact that in the first days of a child's life, excessive excitability of nerve reflexes and weak muscle tone can be observed. A strabismus may appear or an irregular, wandering eyeball movement. After some time, chin and limb tremors can be observed, as well as restless movements.
The middle form has symptoms such as a child’s lack of emotion, poor muscle tone, and paralysis. Convulsions, excessive sensitivity, involuntary eye movement can be observed.
A severe form is characterized by serious disorders of the nervous system with its gradual inhibition. This appears in the form of seizures, renal failure, disorders of the intestines, cardiovascular system, respiratory system.
Diagnostics
Since the consequences of damage to the central nervous system can be quite dangerous, it is therefore important to diagnose the disorder in a timely manner. Sick children generally behave uncharacteristically for newborns, which is why when the first symptoms of the disease appear, you should definitely consult a doctor for an examination and subsequent treatment.
Initially, the doctor examines the newborn, but this is often not enough. At the slightest suspicion of the presence of pathology, the doctor prescribes computed tomography, ultrasound diagnostics, as well as an x-ray. Thanks to a comprehensive diagnosis, you can timely identify the problem and conduct treatment using modern means.
Treatment of central nervous system damage
Some pathological processes occurring in the body of the baby in the advanced stage can be irreversible, therefore, they require urgent measures and timely treatment. Treatment of newborns should be carried out in the first months of their life, since during this period the baby's body is able to completely restore impaired brain functions.
Deviations in the central nervous system are corrected with the help of drug therapy. Its composition includes drugs that improve the nutrition of nerve cells. During therapy, drugs that stimulate blood circulation are used. With the help of medications, you can reduce or increase muscle tone.
In order for sick children to recover faster, osteopathic therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures are used in combination with medications. For a rehabilitation course, massage, electrophoresis, reflexology and many other techniques are indicated.
After the stabilization of the condition of the child, an individual program is developed for conducting supportive complex therapy and regular monitoring of the condition of the baby is carried out. Throughout the year, the dynamics of the child’s condition are analyzed, other treatment methods are selected that contribute to the speedy restoration and development of the required skills, reflexes.
CNS Prevention
In order to prevent the occurrence of a serious and dangerous disease, it is necessary to prevent the lesions of the central nervous system of the baby. For this, doctors recommend planning a pregnancy in advance, timely passing the required examinations and abandoning bad habits. If necessary, antiviral therapy is carried out, all the necessary vaccinations are given, and the hormonal background is also normalized.
If the defeat of the central nervous system of the baby nevertheless happened, it is important to help the newborn from the first hours of his life and to constantly monitor the condition of the baby.
The consequences of central nervous system damage
The consequences and complications of central nervous system damage in a newborn baby can be very serious, dangerous to health and life, and they are expressed as:
- severe forms of mental development;
- severe forms of motor development, cerebral palsy;
- epilepsy;
- neurological deficit.
Timely detection of the disease and well-conducted therapy will help get rid of serious health problems and prevent complications.