Question

A neonatal nurse teaches students how to recognize gastrointestinal disorders in infants. the nurse tells the students that failure of the newborn to pass meconium in the first 24 hours after birth may indicate what disease?

Answer 1

Hirschsprung disease.
The nurse should suspect Hirschsprung disease when the newborn does not pass meconium in the first 24 hours after birth, and has bilious vomiting or abdominal distention and feeding intolerance with bilious aspirates and vomiting. Typical signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The characteristic GI manifestation of UC is bloody diarrhea accompanied by crampy, typically left-sided lower abdominal pain. Clinical manifestations of untreated SBS include profuse watery diarrhea, malabsorption, and failure to thrive.