P77: Necrotizing enterocolitis of fetus and newborn

The child’s intestinal wall is badly inflamed.

The intestines are made up of the small intestine and the large intestine or colon. The intestines are like a tube. There is a hollow space on the inside. The intestinal wall lies around this hollow space. There are many different bacteria in the intestine. These bacteria form part of the intestinal flora. The intestinal flora helps digestion and the body’s immune system, for example. The composition of the intestinal flora depends on many things. These include nutrition and certain medications.

Premature babies, in particular, can suffer from a badly inflamed intestinal wall. A birth is premature if the child is born before the end of the 37th week of pregnancy. But the inflammation can also occur in babies that are not premature.

Various factors can cause the intestinal wall to become inflamed. In the course of the inflammation, tissue in the intestinal wall dies off.

There can be a variety of indications that the child has an inflamed intestinal wall. The abdomen might be bloated and be sensitive to pressure. There may be vomiting, or blood in the stool. The breathing or body temperature may change. There may be a sucking weakness and tiredness.

If the inflammation persists, the child’s abdomen can turn bright red and shiny. The abdomen can be painful and very tight. Breathing problems may occur. If bacteria get into the blood during the course of the inflammation, blood poisoning can result. Sepsis is a severe illness.