KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

my SIL newborn baby boy of 20days is currently @ KKH under observation due to lung infection. Initally she had brought her baby back to thomson medical centre(where she had given birth to) to check for jaundice & she was told his jaundice level is quite high + doc also found that her baby was breathless so suggested they bring baby to kkh to check. so sil & her husband brought baby to kkh & had to be admitted due to baby being breathless & later they did some tests & said baby has lung infection & needs surgery.

when my sil & her husband heard that baby needs surgery, she broke down & asked doc is it necessary to operate since baby is still so young (only 20days old). so doc said let baby stay & do observation. Now baby is using tube for drinking milk cos he cannot use bottle as doc worried that baby use bottle will be breathless & affect his breathing.

our family are worried for SIL baby especially my PIL, yesterday my MIL went to see baby, she said his condition doesn't look too good & doc said still need to stay & observe. My sil said they went outside to look for 2other docs, they all said the same thing, stay @ kkh & observe.

Has anyone encounter this before?

Hug to your sil and your family. Hope the baby get well soon.

Oh dear! Hope your nephew recovers soon.

Tell the PD to check the heart properly for any murmurs. My fren's son's heart rate was so fast and the baby was breathless too coz the baby had a congenital heart condition.

But since your SIL's baby has had tests run and they are sure it's a lung infection, then dun get too paranoid. Sometimes we need to trust the doctors, esp since your SIL has seen so many docs who say the same thing. I know it is heart pain but better than endangering the baby's life.

How has the observation been? Getting better?

hi cherrygal, who was the cardiac specialist at KKH ? able to get the info from yr fren? thanks.

Hi mummyjune,

You may request for associate professor Wong keng yeah he is the senior consultant n head cardiology service in kkh or alternatively u may consult him at his private clinic in mt e 6737 0855 or gleneagles 6479 7718 .

mummyJune wrote:hi cherrygal, who was the cardiac specialist at KKH ? able to get the info from yr fren? thanks.

I think it is the right thing to leave the baby at KKH for observation. I've been informed that for newborns, KKH has the best facilities and most experience consultants in handling infant cases. Just tell your SIL to be more in-touch with the doctor and consultants, and to enquire frequently and ask questions on baby's situation and their proposed treatment, etc. Take the chance to check online on their recommended treatment (or any alternative treatment) and ask relevant question so that they are aware of your involvement and will take more care to look at treatment.

mummyJune wrote:hi cherrygal, who was the cardiac specialist at KKH ? able to get the info from yr fren? thanks.

Replied your pm

mummyJune wrote:my SIL newborn baby boy of 20days is currently @ KKH under observation due to lung infection. Initally she had brought her baby back to thomson medical centre(where she had given birth to) to check for jaundice & she was told his jaundice level is quite high + doc also found that her baby was breathless so suggested they bring baby to kkh to check. so sil & her husband brought baby to kkh & had to be admitted due to baby being breathless & later they did some tests & said baby has lung infection & needs surgery.

when my sil & her husband heard that baby needs surgery, she broke down & asked doc is it necessary to operate since baby is still so young (only 20days old). so doc said let baby stay & do observation. Now baby is using tube for drinking milk cos he cannot use bottle as doc worried that baby use bottle will be breathless & affect his breathing.

our family are worried for SIL baby especially my PIL, yesterday my MIL went to see baby, she said his condition doesn't look too good & doc said still need to stay & observe. My sil said they went outside to look for 2other docs, they all said the same thing, stay @ kkh & observe.

Has anyone encounter this before?

When I had my 2nd baby in 2007, I noticed that he seemed to be panting for air. 2 hours after birth was placed in NICU. Lung infection. Very rare cos full term, 3kg boy. Then as the hours passed, 8 other full term babies joined my son in the NICU. Think maybe some outbreak in hospital? Anyway, drs all unwilling to speculate the cause. But I discovered me n 2 other babies got the same paed checking in them for apgar etc. anyway, my boy was warded for 8 days on tube feeding, oxygen box and a long train of antibiotics. He's fine now but I remembered next to him, the other boy who got lung infection had fluid in his lungs and they poked like 2 holes in the chest, n insert tubes, so the blood/fluid can drain out. This is so the baby do not 'drown' in the fluid. It is very scary and heart pain. But take 1 step at a time, remain optimistic, visit baby and talk to baby. I remembered my boy was discharged first. Could be cos breastfed? The drs say it will speed up the healing.

Can I ask if the baby was born past the EDD? Some post term babies have the danger of swallowing meconium, their first stool. They cleared their bowels while in the womb. This is a potentially dangerous situation as it could lead to infection.