Patient education: Respiratory distress syndrome in newborn babies – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — 

Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is respiratory distress syndrome in newborn babies? — 

Respiratory distress syndrome ("RDS") is a condition that causes breathing problems in newborn babies. Usually, RDS affects babies who are born "premature" (before 37 weeks of pregnancy).

Normally, there is a substance called "surfactant" inside the lungs that helps them stay inflated. Most often, RDS happens when there is not enough surfactant in the lungs. It can also happen when the surfactant does not work as well as normal.

How do I care for my baby at home? — 

Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your baby. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Learn how to care for your baby's skin – If the skin on your baby's face is irritated from an oxygen mask, wash the skin with warm water and a clean washcloth. You can also put lotion on the affected area.

●Protect your baby from infections – It is very important to help protect your baby from infections while their immune system is still developing. Anyone who holds or touches your baby should wash their hands first. Keep your baby away from people who are sick.

●Quit smoking – If anyone in your house smokes, it is very important they quit. Smoking around a baby exposes them to secondhand smoke. This can lead to health problems, such as asthma and infections. If you need help quitting, talk with your doctor or nurse. There are treatments that can help.

If your baby is very sick, they might need more care at home. For example, some babies who were born premature and have RDS can develop "bronchopulmonary dysplasia" ("BPD"). This is a more serious breathing problem. In this case, you might need to:

●Use certain medical equipment – If your baby needs medical equipment, such as a tracheostomy ("trach"), their doctor or nurse will show you how to use it before you go home. They will also show you how to give your baby any medicines they need.

●Give CPR – You might never need to use it, but it's good to be prepared if there is ever an emergency. Your baby's doctor can give you more information about how to learn CPR.

What follow-up care does my baby need? — 

The doctor or nurse will tell you when to make a follow-up appointment. Make sure you know when and where to go.

Most babies with RDS should see a doctor or nurse within a few days of going home. Some might need frequent follow-up visits for the first few months. At these visits:

●The doctor or nurse will make sure your baby gets all the vaccines they need. Vaccines are especially important for babies with certain breathing problems. This is because vaccines help prevent infections, and these babies are at higher risk of infections than other babies. They are also more likely to get very sick or die from infections like the flu and respiratory syncytial virus ("RSV").

●They will check for and monitor any other problems your baby might have. For example, if your baby has BPD, they might check for "pulmonary hypertension." This is high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs.

During these follow-up visits, ask your baby's doctor or nurse any questions you have about vaccines or your baby's health. They will also refer you to specialists or other services as needed.

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if your baby:

●Has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

●Is breathing too fast – This means more than 60 breaths a minute. This is more than 1 breath every second.

●Looks blue or gray in the face, or has blue or gray skin, lips, fingernails, or toenails

●Is breathing hard – This can include:

•Nostrils that open wide when the baby takes a breath

•Skin and muscles that look like they are caving in – This can happen between the baby's ribs or under their ribcage.

•Grunting when the baby breathes out

●Has a trach tube that falls out, and you cannot put it back

Call for advice if:

●You have questions about how to care for your baby.

●You are having trouble feeding or caring for your baby.

●You feel depressed or are having trouble coping.

●Your baby has a trach, and:

•Their skin around the trach is red, swollen, irritated, or bleeding, or has discharge.

•There is more mucus than usual, or the mucus is a different color.

More on this topic

Patient education: Respiratory distress syndrome in newborn babies (The Basics)
Patient education: When a baby is born premature (The Basics)
Patient education: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (The Basics)
Patient education: Tracheostomy (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a tracheostomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Emergency care for infants and children with a tracheostomy (The Basics)
Patient education: CPR for children (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for babies and children age 0 to 6 years (The Basics)
Patient education: Bronchiolitis and RSV in babies and children (The Basics)
Patient education: Pulmonary hypertension (The Basics)

Patient education: Vaccines for infants and children age 0 to 6 years (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Bronchiolitis and RSV in infants and children (Beyond the Basics)