Neonatal emergencies (baby emergencies) are problems that are encountered during birth, in the hospital after birth, or at the patient's home after discharge. In all these cases, the emergency poses a definite challenge in diagnosis and treatment that needs to be dealt with in a serious manner.

These emergencies are THE MISFITS. This is a pneumonic for the various conditions that pose a threat to the infant's life.

T- Trauma (accidental and nonaccidental)

H- Heart disease/Hypoxia /Hypovolemia

E- Endocrine (thyrotoxicosis , congenital adrenal hyperplasia)

M- Metabolic (electrolyte imbalance)

I- Inborn errors of metabolism (metabolic emergencies)

S- Sepsis (pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infection)

F- Formula mishaps (over or underdilution)

I- Intestinal conditions (intussusception, volvulus, necrotizing enterocolitis)

T- Toxins/Poisons

S- Seizures

Blue baby disease

A blue baby is the one who is blue (or cyanotic) in color due to the malformation of his/her heart that does not allow the blood to be fully oxygenated (red in color). The blue color is imparted to the body by the deoxygenated blood of the baby. Those babies whose lungs are unable to oxygenate blood are also cyanotic and referred to as the blue baby.

Blue Baby Syndrome

The Blue Baby Syndrome, also known as methemoglobinemia, is the illness that is characterized by huge amounts of nitrates in an infant's body. When the child takes in water that is loaded with nitrates, the digestive system changes it into nitrite which reacts with oxyhaemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying blood protein) to form metheglobin that is not capable of carrying oxygen. Excessive amounts of metheglobin formed in blood, deprives the body tissues of oxygen causing the mucous membranes in the infant's body to turn blue. It also causes digestive and respiratory problems.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a lung infection marked by symptoms such as cough, fever and difficulty in breathing. Caused by bacteria, virus or fungi, in this condition the lungs become inflamed and get filled with fluid making it hard to breathe. It is often difficult to tell the difference between pneumonia and bad cold. It is necessary to take your baby to the doctor when he/she is suffering from severe cough and is coughing up mucus, stays unwell most of the time and has lost his/her appetite. A serious case of pneumonia is a medical emergency and requires the baby to be admitted in the hospital for treatment.