Who is a neonatologist and what do they do?

Introduction

A neonatologist is a doctor who specializes in the care and treatment of newborn babies. They care for both sick and healthy babies up to 4 weeks of age. Neonatologists first assess the health of the newborn baby at birth. They also treat young patients who have a condition that was diagnosed during fetal development or who were born prematurely.

These physicians train by completing a residency in pediatrics and then earning a doctorate in neonatology, a field of medicine specializing in the care of newborns.

The newborn period

The newborn period of a baby lasts for 28 days. A newborn is not a miniature adult, but a completely unique medical entity, characterized by a complex package of adaptive manifestations to extrauterine life, powerful plastic capabilities that it manifests in evolution and recovery from various injuries, but extremely fragile in terms of limited resources, and which in conditions of stress or illness (hypoxia, hypothermia, acidosis, infection, congenital malformations, prematurity, deprivation of the mother, etc.) may suffer in the long term or not survive if it does not receive adequate care in time.

Neonatology is a young specialty that emerged as a superspecialty of pediatrics in the second half of the 20th century due to the neNeonatology is a young specialty that emerged as a superspecialty of pediatrics in the second half of the 20th century due to the need for specialists for individual care for newborns, to increase survival at low gestational ages, reduce infant morbidity and mortality. It appeared around 1960 in the United States, almost simultaneously with the first neonatal intensive care unit.ed for specialists for individual care for newborns, to increase survival at low gestational ages, reduce infant morbidity and mortality. It appeared around 1960 in the United States, almost simultaneously with the first neonatal intensive care unit.

Together with the mother and baby in the delivery room

A neonatologist accompanied by a nurse is always present at childbirth together with the midwife. This is the first doctor who assesses the condition of the newborn and manages the process of adaptation to all the changes that occur after the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life.

In Switzerland, childbirth always takes place in the presence of highly qualified neonatologists who guarantee the highest safety, as well as the necessary sense of security for newborn babies.

always takes place in the presence of highly qualified neonatologists who guarantee the highest safety, as well as the necessary sense of security for newborn babies.

• Laying the baby under the radiator or on the mother's chest
• Wiping the skin
• Suctioning off secretions if they are abundant
• Treating the umbilical cord

The actions of the neonatologist after the birth of the baby are also the assessment of his condition according to the Apgar scale. Then the color of the skin, heart rate, reaction to external stimuli, muscle tension, and breathing are taken into account. Then the baby is weighed and measured. The neonatologist also checks the head, spine, internal organs, blood flow in the arteries, knees, hip joints, feet, genitals, palate, and tongue.

Neonatologists play an extremely important role in the lives of both young mothers and newborns. Along with medical procedures aimed at ensuring the health of the child, the neonatologist is the doctor who oversees the first contact of the newborn with the mother.

The neonatologist must as quickly as possible determine the health status of the newborn baby and as a result identify any deviations from the norm. This is the starting point for possible further diagnosis and treatment. Severe congenital malformations are often detected only after birth. After that, the neonatologist may leave the child in the neonatal pathology department.

When deviations from the norm are detected by a neonatologist, it is possible to undergo diagnostics and individuals in Switzerland. department pediatrician in Switzerland deals with the treatment of kids from the first days of life.

Diagnoses made by neonatologists

Among the diseases diagnosed by a neonatologist, the following can be mentioned:

• Brain disorders;
• non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage;
• genetic diseases;
• intrauterine growth retardation of the fetus;
• birth asphyxia;
• perinatal intestinal perforation;
• congenital malformations
• bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• jaundice;
• complications caused by prematurity.

Specialists who interact with neonatologists

Therefore, the list of neonatal diseases that a neonatologist deals with is very long. It is important to note that the process of identifying and treating these diseases often involves specialists from other fields of medicine, such as:

• pediatric surgery,
• cardiology,
• neurology,
• endocrinology,
• urology,
• rehabilitation,
• orthopedics
• ophthalmology.

The most complex cases in the field of neonatal pathology, including, in particular, premature babies with very low birth weight (approximately up to 500 g), as a rule, immediately after birth, are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, where they are under the supervision of qualified specialists: neonatologists, midwives, and neonatal nurses.