Neonatal Respiratory Disease Syndrome(NRDS)

It is also called as Infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS). It is a serious medical condition where a newborn baby’s lungs cannot provide their body with enough oxygen. NRDS is also known as hyaline membrane disease, infant respiratory distress syndrome or newborn respiratory distress syndrome.

IRDS begins shortly after birth and is manifest by tachypnea, tachycardia, chest wall retractions (recession), expiratory grunting, nasal flaring and cyanosis during breathing efforts.

Clinical course:
As the disease progresses, the baby may develop ventilatory failure (rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the blood), and prolonged cessations of breathing (“apnea”). Whether treated or not, the clinical course for the acute disease lasts about 2 to 3 days. During the first day the condition worsens and requires more support. During the second day the baby may be remarkably stable on adequate support and resolution is noted during the third day, with a prompt diuresis.

Despite huge advances in health care, NRDS remains the most common single cause of death in the first month of life in the developed world.