Signs and Symptoms of Blue Baby Syndrome

Signs and Symptoms of Blue Baby Syndrome

Blue baby syndrome is a disease which is usually caused due to the excessive intake nitrates into the human body. This disease usually reduces the carrying capacity of blood to provide essential amount of oxygen into body tissues. This is disease usually caused when the drinking water of the human beings contains large amount of nitrates and everyone also drink the contaminated water unknowingly. The controlling nitrate level in the water is 50mg/litre. 

Actually the normal level of haemoglobins gets reduced in the body of the affected persons causing transport of lesser amount of oxygen which finally leads to the colour changed of the body to bluish shade. That’s why this disease is known as ‘Blue Baby Syndrome’. The other name of this disease is methaemoglobinemia. Bluish colour is seen in the body area like mouth, hand as well as feet too. Infants are mostly affected by this disease. Nitrates may also be a content of vegetables as well as some drugs like phenacetin and sulphonamides though these drugs are rare in now a day. 

This disease is a common occurrence in industrial areas but sometimes found in rural areas where drinking water is taken from shallow well. Control of nitrate is drinking water is the most preventive measure for this disease as the nitrate is not got destroyed after boiling it properly. The bottle feed infants are most affected individuals by this disease though this disease can be cured by specific medical treatment in proper time.

Like all the other diseases this disease also exhibits some typical signs and symptoms through which we can assume the appearance of the disease. The symptoms which are usually exhibited in the body of the affected persons are described in the following:

·         Shortness of breath: Respiratory problem arises at first due to insufficient supply of oxygen in all the body tissues. The breathing of the affects becomes quite shorter than the usual rate.

·         Cyanosis: This is the most important symptom of this disease which is found in the body of the affected persons after some days of the appearance of the earlier symptoms.

·         Mental status changing: This disease affects a lot to the mental level of the patient. The mental level becomes ~50% of what it needs to be. This symptom can only be solved by proper counselling.

·         Headache: Mild to severe headache is also found in the body of the affected patient which varies from person to person. Painkiller can reduce this headache for a short period of time.

·         Exercise Intolerance: Though there is not enough supply of oxygen in the body tissues, the patient cannot tolerate physical exercises for long period. They become terribly exhausted.

·         Dizziness: Dizziness can be found even after sleeping for a long time. The patients feels sleepy even just after waking in the morning and the same continues whole the day.

·         Loss of consciousness: The loss of consciousness can be found in the body of the affected person which is also an indicative character of this disease.

 


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