Ask the Expert

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio Image

Get answers to your child's growth, nutrition, and feeding behavior questions.

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio | Q&A Archive

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

Please install flash player to see this video.

Hyperviscosity - newborn - Treatment

Alternative Names

Neonatal polycythemia

Treatment:

The baby will be monitored for complications of hyperviscosity. If needed, an exchange transfusion will be done to lower the amount of red blood cells that are moving through the baby's blood vessels.

Other treatment may include increasing body fluids.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outlook is good for infants with mild hyperviscosity and those who receive treatment for severe hyperviscosity.

Some children may have mild changes in neurological development. Parents who believe their child may show any signs of developmental delay should contact their health care provider.

Complications:

Complications may include:

Death of intestinal tissue (necrotizing enterocolitis)
Decreased fine motor control
Kidney failure
Seizures
Strokes

Blood cells

Reviewed last on: 9/26/2007
Deirdre O’Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)