What Are the Symptoms and Manifestations of Aspiration Pneumonia in Newborns?

The health of newborns is extremely important for a family. Some newborns may experience respiratory infections, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia several days later. Common symptoms include fever and cough. It is important for affected infants to stay warm and to receive regular oxygen supplementation. Maintaining normal blood pressure is also crucial.

1. The main symptoms of neonatal aspiration pneumonia include fever, cough, and wheezing. The onset of pneumonia can be acute or gradual, often occurring several days after an upper respiratory infection. The initial symptoms are usually fever or cough, with a temperature ranging from 38 to 39 degrees Celsius. Adenoviral pneumonia may be accompanied by a persistent high fever for 1 to 2 weeks.

2. Weak or premature infants may not have a fever or may have a subnormal body temperature.

3. Coughing, choking on milk, or milk spilling from the nose may also occur.

4. Common symptoms also include poor appetite, lethargy, irritability, and disturbed sleep.

5. In severe cases, infants may exhibit symptoms such as nasal flaring, cyanosis around the mouth due to respiratory distress, and even respiratory failure or heart failure.

6. Vomiting, abdominal distension, and diarrhea may also be present as symptoms of the digestive system.

Neonatal aspiration pneumonia is primarily caused by the inhalation of foreign substances (commonly amniotic fluid, meconium, or breast milk) into the lungs during the intrauterine period, during birth, or shortly after birth. It is a common and frequently occurring disease in the early neonatal period with a high mortality rate. It often occurs in neonates who experience intrauterine distress or asphyxia during the perinatal period. These infants may have a prolonged labor process, placental or umbilical cord issues that affect fetal blood circulation, leading to intrauterine hypoxia. This stimulates the respiratory center of the fetus, causing tachypnea and aspiration of amniotic fluid or meconium. A minority of cases may be caused by improper feeding practices leading to aspiration of breast milk.

Neonates born via cesarean section may have higher levels of amniotic fluid in their respiratory tract compared to those born vaginally because their mouths are not squeezed through the birth canal. If the respiratory tract is not thoroughly cleared, there is an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia in these neonates.

It is important to manage the aspirated material. For fetuses experiencing intrauterine distress, it is crucial to aspirate any amniotic fluid from the throat immediately after the head is delivered but before the shoulders. After delivery, efforts should be made to aspirate any aspirated material from the trachea before the baby takes its first breath. If aspiration has already occurred, chest physiotherapy and suction should be performed every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours of life. It is also essential to keep the baby warm, provide oxygen supplementation, and maintain normal blood pressure.