Reading

It is important to do some general reading during your rotation in Neonatal Paediatrics. Recommended reading topics are listed below. Please remember that this list is by no means comprehensive and it is important to read about interesting cases as you encounter them.

• Physical examination of the normal newborn
• Infant resuscitation, with an understanding of asphyxia and the techniques used in resuscitation.
• The low birthweight infant (premature and small for gestational age), and an understanding of features common to both and in what way they differ.
• Infant feeding, the principles of nutrition, normal growth and development of the newborn, the various formulae that are available and their comparisons with breast milk.
• Respiratory disease; in particular hyaline membrane disease, meconium aspiration, transient tachypnoea of the newborn, and neonatal pneumonia. Also a basic understanding of chronic lung disease (BPD or bronchopulmonary dysplasia).
• Pathophysiology and management of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).
• Hypoglycaemia.
• Jaundice, including rhesus haemolytic disease.
• Infection in the newborn, including full investigation and outlines for management.
• Heart disease, including congenital heart disease, common defects, and patent ductus arteriosus.
• Common congenital malformations, including neural tube defects, surgical problems such as tracheo-oesophageal fistula and diaphragmatic hernia, and Down syndrome.
• Other topics including necrotising enterocolitis, neonatal apnoea, convulsions, stridor, intraventricular hemorrhage. and retinopathy of prematurity.