Signs and Symptoms of Hyaline Membrane Disease
Hyaline membrane disease is a condition that occurs in newborns whose lungs failed to develop fully in the womb. Sometimes called respiratory distress disorder, the condition is most common in infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
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Types of Symptoms
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Symptoms of hyaline membrane disease include a bluish color of the skin, decreased urination, flaring nostrils, grunting, swelling of the arms and legs, and strained or abnormal breathing.
Features
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Babies with hyaline membrane disease tend to grunt while breathing, and it is not uncommon for the skin around the chest to suck inward with each breath. In addition, babies with the disorder tend to take rapid, shallow breaths and may stop breathing entirely for short periods of time.
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Time Frame
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Hyaline membrane disease symptoms typically develop 48 to 72 hours after birth and then gradually improve with treatment, reports the University of Virginia Health System.
Signs
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The most common sign used for diagnosing hyaline membrane disease is a pattern that resembles ground glass on a chest X-ray image of the baby's lungs, explains Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Standford University. An echocardiography is also useful in ruling out heart problems that cause similar symptoms.
Considerations
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Several medical conditions have similar symptoms to hyaline membrane disease. A thorough examination and diagnostic images ordered by a doctor are the only way to distinguish the disease from others.
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