Omphalitis in newborns - causes and treatment of inflammation of the umbilical wound. What to do if a newborn has a weeping navel: methods of treating omphalitis and rules for treating the umbilical wound. There are two forms of sepsis

Omphalitis in newborns usually occurs before the age of one month. Older children and even adults sometimes get sick too, but such cases are very rare. Omphalitis is one of the most common acquired diseases diagnosed in children in the first three weeks of life. If you start treating it in time, the disease will quickly recede and will not leave any consequences.

What is omphalitis?

This is an inflammation of the umbilical wound and umbilical cord, which affects the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The problem leads to disruption of epithelization processes and is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. There is no need to panic when omphalitis is diagnosed in newborns, but it is not recommended to let the disease take its course. Timely and competent treatment is the key to a successful and speedy recovery of the baby.

Causes of omphalitis

The main reason why omphalitis develops in children is the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the umbilical wound. This happens, as a rule, with insufficiently qualified child care. The infection can be transmitted through the dirty hands of parents or medical personnel. Other factors also cause omphalitis in newborns:

  • premature birth;
  • weakened child’s body;
  • the presence of intrauterine infections;
  • the presence of concomitant infectious diseases.

Symptoms of omphalitis


Manifestations of the disease vary slightly depending on the form of omphalitis. All signs are usually divided into general and local. The latter are symptoms that appear directly in the area around the navel. These include:

  • discharge from the wound (they can be colored in different colors, sometimes the oozing liquid contains blood);
  • unpleasant odor;
  • redness and hyperthermia of the skin;
  • swelling of the skin near the navel;
  • the appearance of red stripes on the epidermis.

General symptoms are nonspecific signs indicating the presence of infection and inflammatory process in the body:

  • elevated temperature;
  • tearfulness;
  • lethargy;
  • deterioration and complete loss of appetite;
  • noticeable reduction in weight gain.

Catarrhal omphalitis

This form occurs in most cases and is considered the most favorable. Catarrhal omphalitis in newborns is also commonly called a weeping navel. Ideally, the remnants of the umbilical cord should fall off on their own in the first days of life. A small scab-covered wound remains at this site, which heals within 10-15 days. Catarrhal omphalitis in newborns delays the period of epithelization and causes the appearance of discharge from the navel.

If the weeping does not go away for a long time - two or more weeks - granulation tissue may begin to grow - inflammation spreads to healthy tissue. The symptoms of the disease remain not pronounced. Only in some cases a slight increase in temperature is observed. Catarrhal omphalitis in newborns occurs without complications, and after the start of local treatment, the child quickly recovers.

Purulent omphalitis

This form of the disease is usually a complication of catarrhal disease. Purulent omphalitis in newborns leads to an increase in edema and area of ​​hyperemia. The disease affects the lymphatic vessels, which is why a red spot appears around the navel, resembling a jellyfish or octopus in appearance. The discharge becomes purulent and often smells unpleasant. Purulent omphalitis in newborns has symptoms and others:

  • increased;
  • whims;
  • loss of appetite.

Omphalitis - complications


If the signs of omphalitis are ignored, this can lead to complications. The latter are not as easy to deal with as the usual form of the disease. In addition, they not only worsen the quality of life, but also sometimes pose a danger to the baby’s health. Phlegmous omphalitis may have complications such as:

  • phlegmon of the anterior abdominal wall;
  • liver abscess;
  • contact peritonitis;
  • the spread of the pathogen through the bloodstream is fraught with the development of sepsis;
  • osteomyelitis;
  • destructive pneumonia;

Complications in most cases lead to the fact that the child’s health deteriorates noticeably, he behaves restlessly and refuses to breastfeed. The temperature can rise to 39 degrees or more. The wound on the navel turns into an open ulcer, constantly weeping due to purulent discharge. In the most severe cases, tissue necrosis develops.

Omphalitis in newborns - treatment

The problem develops quickly, but progress can be stopped if, when omphalitis is diagnosed, treatment begins in a timely manner. A neonatologist will help recognize inflammation in the early stages. To confirm the diagnosis you need to undergo tests. You can fight the catarrhal form of the disease at home under the constant supervision of a pediatrician. Treatment of purulent omphalitis and other types of the disease should be carried out only in a hospital. Otherwise, it will be difficult to avoid serious consequences.

Treatment of the umbilical wound for omphalitis


In the initial stages, the site of inflammation needs to be treated several times a day. The algorithm for treating the umbilical wound with omphalitis is simple: first, the affected area should be washed with hydrogen peroxide, and when it dries, with an antiseptic solution. For the procedure you need to use sterile cotton wool. It is recommended to treat the skin around the navel first and only then inside. During treatment, you can bathe your child in warm water with potassium permanganate or herbal decoctions. In more severe forms of the disease, after treatment, a compress with anti-inflammatory drugs is applied to the skin.

Omphalitis - ointment

The use of ointments is necessary only in difficult cases, since omphalitis is usually treated with antiseptics. Potent agents are used, as a rule, for compresses. The most popular ointments that are usually prescribed for inflammation of the navel:

  • Polymyxin;
  • Bacitracin.

Prevention of omphalitis

Inflammation of the umbilical wound is one of those problems that is easier to prevent than to treat.

You can prevent omphalitis and protect your baby from suffering by following simple rules:
  1. The umbilical wound must be treated 2-3 times a day until it heals completely. Even if there are a few crusts left on it, you cannot stop the procedures.
  2. First, the navel should be wiped with a peroxide solution, and when the skin is dry, it is treated with brilliant green or 70 percent alcohol.
  3. It is strictly forbidden to tear off the crusts from the wound. No matter how surprising it may sound, a scab is the most reliable bandage. It prevents pathogenic microorganisms from entering the wound and falls off on its own when the skin no longer needs protection.
  4. The navel should not be covered with a diaper, taped or bandaged. If the wound is closed, it can become closed and inflamed. In addition, matter can catch on the scab and rip it off, which will cause discomfort, expose the unhealed navel and open access to bacteria and germs.
  5. If purulent discharge or an unpleasant odor suddenly appears, it is recommended to urgently seek the help of a specialist - a pediatrician or pediatric surgeon.

New parents are especially sensitive. After all, it’s no secret that until it has healed, there is a possibility of infection, and with it the development of inflammatory processes in the skin and subcutaneous tissues. If this happens, they talk about a disease called navel omphalitis.

What pitfalls does this medical term contain? And why should its treatment be started as early as possible, and moreover, under the guidance of experienced doctors?

What is omphalitis?

Omphalitis (from the Greek omphalos - “navel” + itis - ending indicating inflammation) is a disease affecting mainly newborn children. It manifests itself as inflammation of the bottom of the umbilical wound, the umbilical ring with the vessels adjacent to it, and the subcutaneous fatty tissue in the area of ​​the umbilical ring. The disease develops approximately in the 2nd week of a baby’s life.

Omphalitis, along with other pathologies of the neonatal period, such as streptoderma, epidemic pemphigus, is not so rare. The problem is that untreated omphalitis has a destructive effect on the body, leading to such consequences as peritonitis, sepsis, phlebitis of the umbilical vessels, and phlegmon. Therefore, if you find that there is something wrong with the navel, immediately show your baby to the doctor so as not to delay treatment.

Causes

The only reason for the development of omphalitis is infection through a navel wound. Most often, staphylococci or streptococci are the culprits of infectious infection. Less commonly - gram-negative bacteria, representatives of which are Escherichia coli and diphtheria coli.

How does the infection get inside? There are several factors that provoke the development of omphalitis:

  • Incorrect or insufficient treatment of the umbilical wound.
  • Failure to comply with hygiene standards when caring for a baby: treating the navel with dirty hands of parents or medical staff, untimely washing of the baby after he defecated.
  • Caring for a child is carried out by a sick person who can transmit the infection through airborne droplets.
  • Development of diaper dermatitis. The child spends a long time in a diaper contaminated with urine or feces, the skin sweats. Rare bathing and lack of air baths make the situation worse.
  • Primary infection with another skin infectious disease, such as pyoderma or folliculitis.
  • It is extremely rare that infection occurs directly during childbirth, when the umbilical cord is ligated.

Premature babies born in out-of-hospital aseptic conditions (for example, home birth), as well as those who have had difficult intrauterine development, aggravated by hypoxia and congenital abnormal pathologies, are at greater risk of developing omphalitis.

A variety of forms of the disease and its symptoms

Omphalitis of the navel, depending on the severity of its occurrence, is classified into catarrhal, necrotic and phlegmonous. If the disease develops against the background of infection of the navel, omphalitis is called primary. In cases where the infection joins existing anomalies, such as fistulas, they speak of secondary omphalitis. Let's look at all the available forms in more detail.

"Wet navel"

The “simplest” form of the disease, which is also the most common, has the best favorable prognosis. Its common medical name is catarrhal omphalitis. As a rule, the umbilical cord falls off on its own within the first 10 days of life. In the area of ​​the umbilical ring, epithelization begins to occur, that is, healing of the navel. A crust forms, which dries out by the end of the second week and also falls off, leaving a clean, pretty navel.

The healing of the umbilical wound takes place in several stages

However, if the wound gets infected, local inflammation does not allow it to heal properly. Instead, serous-purulent fluid is released, sometimes mixed with blood, and the wound healing process is delayed for several more weeks. Periodically, crusts cover the bleeding area, but after they fall off, proper epithelization does not occur. Just such a phenomenon is called a weeping navel.

Prolonged inflammation leads to the formation of a mushroom-like protrusion at the bottom of the navel, the so-called fungus. And although the physical condition of newborns does not suffer particularly: the appetite is good, the child is gaining weight well, sleeps soundly, etc., redness and swelling are observed around the umbilical ring, and body temperature may rise to 37-37.2 O C.

Phlegmonous omphalitis

This form of the disease is said to occur when the “wet navel” has not received sufficient care, and the inflammation has spread to nearby tissues. Reddened skin is accompanied by swelling of the subcutaneous tissue, which makes the stomach appear slightly bloated. The venous pattern in the area of ​​the anterior abdominal wall is more clearly visible. If, in addition to everything, red stripes are observed, lymphangitis may develop, a disease that affects capillaries and lymphatic vessels.


If the infection has spread to the umbilical tissue, do not self-medicate. The child must be examined by a qualified specialist

A characteristic symptom of phlegmonous omphalitis is pyorrhea. In the process of pressing in the navel area, purulent contents are released. Ulcers may form at the site of the umbilical fossa. Such complications also affect the baby’s well-being: the child eats poorly, is capricious, and often burps. He is lethargic, the thermometer is rapidly rising - up to 38 O C.

Necrotizing omphalitis

The most unfavorable course of the disease, but, fortunately, is quite rare, mainly in weakened children with obvious signs of immunodeficiency and delays in physical and psycho-emotional development. The skin of the abdomen is not just hyperemic. It becomes dark purple, sometimes bluish, as the suppuration spreads deeper and deeper.

The baby does not have the strength to fight the infection, so the disease is rarely accompanied by fever. Rather, on the contrary, it is below 36 O C, and the child himself moves little, the reaction is inhibited. Any complications are dangerous for the baby’s life, since bacteria entering the systemic bloodstream (so-called septic infection) can provoke the development of the following diseases:

  • osteomyelitis - the bone marrow becomes inflamed, and with it all bone elements;
  • enterocolitis - inflammation of the intestinal mucosa;
  • peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum and abdominal organs;
  • purulent pneumonia;
  • phlegmon of the abdominal wall (accumulation of pus).

Treatment of necrotic (gangrenous) omphalitis is carried out only in hospital aseptic conditions, often with surgical intervention.

Diagnostics

The primary diagnosis is made immediately during an examination of the baby by a pediatrician, neonatologist or pediatric surgeon. However, to make sure there are no complications that we talked about earlier, instrumental diagnostics are additionally prescribed:

  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
  • Ultrasound of soft tissues;
  • X-ray of the abdominal cavity with a survey examination.

Even if the diagnosis was made by a neonatologist, the child must be examined by a pediatric surgeon.


Examination of the baby by a pediatric surgeon is mandatory

The discharged fluid, especially with impurities of pus, is taken for analysis (bacterial culture) to accurately determine the infectious pathogen. This is important, because having determined what type of infection we are dealing with, as well as its sensitivity to antibacterial agents, the doctor will be able to select the group of antibiotics that will be most effective in treatment.

How is omphalitis treated?

At home, only a simple form of omphalitis is treated. This requires local treatment of the umbilical wound up to 4 times a day. First, 2-3 drops of hydrogen peroxide are dripped into the wound and the contents are removed with hygienic sticks. Then drying and simultaneous antiseptic measures occur: the wound is treated with a brilliant green solution, furatsilin, chlorophyllipt, dioxidin or 70% alcohol. The baby is bathed in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

In severe cases, it is necessary to prescribe antibiotic therapy, as well as local use of antiseptic ointments (Vishnevsky's liniment, baneocin) in the form of applying a bandage to the wound. It is possible to inject antibiotics directly into the inflammation site. The fungus of the navel is cauterized according to indications with silver nitrate (lapis).

A drainage can be placed on the wound - a special tube through which a good outflow of pus is ensured. According to indications, detoxification solutions are used intravenously, the administration of gamma globulin, as well as excision (surgical removal) of necrotic tissue areas. Ulcers are also removed surgically.

The baby is prescribed medications to boost immunity and vitamin therapy.

If the doctor deems it appropriate, physiotherapeutic treatment methods such as ultraviolet irradiation, UHF therapy or helium-neon laser are used.

Consequences

The prognosis for the treatment of catarrhal omphalitis in newborns is very favorable and ends with complete recovery. As for phlegmonous or necrotizing omphalitis, it all depends on how quickly treatment begins and whether all possible methods of therapy are used. The risk of death in septic infections is always high.

Preventive measures

  • change the diaper promptly;
  • wash the child as needed during the day;
  • treat the umbilical wound daily with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green until it is completely healed;
  • All manipulations for caring for the navel should be carried out with hands washed with soap;
  • If purulent discharge becomes noticeable in the wound or lumps appear, immediately show the child to the doctor.

Management of the umbilical cord and umbilical wound in the maternity hospital and after discharge from the maternity hospital.

Ear toileting is performed once a week as needed.

In case of illness - as prescribed by a doctor.


The baby's nutrition before birth comes from the mother's body through the placenta and umbilical cord. After the baby is born, a disposable plastic clamp is applied to the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord stump dries out and mummifies when exposed to air without any treatment with antiseptics. Falling off of the umbilical cord stump with a plastic clamp placed on it usually occurs 10-14 days after the birth of the child.

When caring for the umbilical cord and umbilical wound, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. The main conditions for accelerating the process of drying out the umbilical cord and its falling off, as well as for preventing infection of the umbilical cord and umbilical wound - dryness and cleanliness.

2. Do not allow fat, urine, or feces to come into contact with the umbilical cord.

3. If the umbilical cord remains are contaminated, it must be washed with running water (or with soap) and wiped dry with a gauze cloth or a clean, ironed diaper.

5. Keep the navel area exposed to air more often (during feeding and when the child is awake).

6. When using a diaper, fix it below the navel area.

7. You can bathe a child with an umbilical cord remnant, you can bathe him in unboiled water (adding “potassium permanganate” is not advisable - it dries the skin excessively, removes beneficial microflora from the skin, the risk of colonizing the skin with opportunistic and pathogenic microflora)

8. If signs of infection of the umbilical cord stump or umbilical wound appear (the appearance of pus from the umbilical cord stump or from the bottom of the umbilical wound, redness of the skin around the navel, unpleasant odor), consult a pediatrician.

In most cases, when caring for the umbilical fossa area after the umbilical cord has fallen off, it is enough to follow dryness and cleanliness, bathe your child daily.

Only in isolated situations - with the development or threat of development of an inflammatory process, it is necessary to clean the umbilical wound until it heals using antiseptics.

Target: Therapeutic.

Equipment:

1. 3% hydrogen peroxide solution

2. 1% alcohol solution of brilliant green.

3. Sterile tweezers.

4. Sterile material (sterile cotton swabs).

5. Sterile rubber gloves.

6. Tray for waste material.

Sequencing:

1. Introduce yourself to the mother, explain the purpose and course of the upcoming procedure, and obtain verbal consent.



2. Prepare the necessary equipment.

3. Wash and dry your hands.

4. Wear sterile gloves.

5. Use sterile tweezers to take a sterile stick.

6. Moisten the stick with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution over the tray.

7. Separate the edges of the umbilical wound with the thumb and index fingers of your left hand

8. Insert a stick soaked in hydrogen peroxide into the umbilical wound strictly perpendicularly and treat the wound from the center to the periphery

9. Dispose of the stick into the waste tray (class B waste).

10. Dry the wound with another sterile stick.

11. Dispose of the stick into the waste tray (class B waste).

12. Moisten the third sterile stick with a 1% alcohol solution of brilliant green.

13. Spread the edges of the umbilical wound, treat it from the center to the periphery, without touching the skin.

14. Dispose of the stick into the waste tray (class B waste).

15. Disinfect and dispose of used material and gloves.

16. Remove gloves, wash and dry your hands.

Target:

Preventing infection and speeding healing

Equipment:

Medicines: 3% H2O2 solution, 70% ethyl alcohol, 5% potassium permanganate solution;

Sterile material: cotton balls, napkins, wooden sticks with cotton swabs;

Tags, tweezers, phantom doll, changing table, underwear, gloves.

Progress of treatment of the umbilical wound in the maternity hospital :

Unwaddle the baby on the table or crib;

Wash, dry and treat hands (gloves) with an antiseptic solution;

If necessary, wash the child and sanitize your hands again;

Separate the edges of the umbilical ring and, using a pipette or a cotton swab taken with tweezers, generously cover the umbilical wound with 3% H2O2 solution;

After 20-30 seconds, dry the wound, extinguishing it with a cotton swab on a stick;

Treat the wound and the skin around it with a wooden stick with a swab moistened with 70% ethyl alcohol, with another stick with 5% potassium permanganate, treat only the wound, without touching the skin, swaddle the child;

Swaddle the baby.

NB! The umbilical cord residue is treated with 96% or 70% alcohol and 5% permanganate solution daily, after removing the Chistyakova bandage. When cutting off the umbilical cord on the 3rd day, a tampon with 3% H2O2 solution and a pressure bandage are applied to the wound for 5 hours. Then daily processing according to the above algorithm.

At home, the umbilical cord wound is treated in the morning and after bathing with brilliant green alcohol solution using a sterile stick or pipette. The mother washes her hands with soap and treats them with cologne or any antiseptic. The maximum healing period for the wound is 2 weeks.

NB! If the umbilical wound takes a long time to heal (more than a week), prescribe 2-3 sessions of ultraviolet irradiation (do not lubricate it with brilliant green before the session). If there is no healing within 2-3 weeks, consult a surgeon to rule out a fistula (provided there are no signs of inflammation).

Omphalitis- inflammation of the umbilical wound.

Treatment is local and general.

Treatment:

1. Separate the edges of the umbilical wound, drip 3% H O solution (wearing gloves)

2. Dry with a sterile stick

3.alternate applications with a hypertonic solution (10% NaCl) and antibiotics (zinacef, claforan, amoxiclav)

P.S. The compositions levomekol and levosin combine hypertonic antibacterial and keratoplastic effects; they can be used after treatment with 3% H O.

Administration of monovalent mumps (measles) vaccine

Purpose of introduction:

prevention of mumps, measles, rubella.

Equipment:

Sterile table with cotton balls, napkins, tweezers;

Gloves;

Mumps (measles) vaccine;

Solvent for mumps and measles vaccines;

A beaker for placing an ampoule with a vaccine into it;

Light protection cone made of black paper (for live measles protection);

Tray with disinfectant solution for discarding syringes;

Container with disinfectant solution for waste material;

70% ethyl alcohol.

Stages:

Wash and dry your hands, put on gloves;

Remove ampoules with vaccine and solvent from the packaging;

Wipe the necks of the ampoules with a cotton ball and alcohol, cut with an emery disc;

Open with a sterile napkin and break;

Throw the spent cotton balls and napkin into a container with a disinfectant solution;

Opened ampoules with dry live vaccine must be placed in a beaker;

Open the package of the syringe, put a needle with a cap on it, fix the needle on the cannula of the syringe;

Remove the cap from the needle;

Take an ampoule (ampoules) with a solvent and draw it into a syringe in the amount calculated earlier;

Introduce the solvent (carefully along the wall) into the ampoule with the vaccine;

Mix the vaccine using back-and-forth movements of the piston in the syringe;

Draw 0.5 ml of dissolved mumps (measles) vaccine into a syringe;

Return the ampoule with the remaining dissolved vaccine to the beaker and cover with a sterile gauze cap (and a light-protective cone if it is measles vaccine);

Take a napkin from the sterile table with tweezers and release air from the syringe into it (drop the napkin into a container with a disinfectant solution);

Place the syringe inside the sterile table;

Treat the skin in the subscapular region or the outer part of the shoulder with 70% ethyl alcohol (leave the cotton ball in your hand);

Grasp the skin area in a fold between 1 and 2 fingers;

Insert a needle into the resulting fold, directed at an angle of 45;

Administer the vaccine;

Remove the needle;

Treat the injection site with a cotton ball left in your hand after treating the injection field;

Place the cotton ball and syringe into the tray with the disinfectant solution (after rinsing the syringe);

Remove gloves and throw them into the disinfectant solution.

P.S. There is a combined vaccine: measles and mumps or measles + rubella + mumps (Trimovax). The administration technique and dose of the rubella vaccine are the same 0.5 ml s.c.! release in bottles! 10 doses each!

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Rules for administering insulin

1. Insulin is administered subcutaneously, in a coma, intravenously. The patient himself s/c - into the anterior abdominal wall and the outer lateral surface of the thigh. Nurse: s/c the lower angle of the shoulder blades and the middle third of the shoulder.

2. Inject, observing the triangle rule (insulin cannot be injected in the same place).

3. The skin is treated with any sterile solution (not alcohol or another sterile solution after alcohol).

4. After injecting insulin, be sure to feed the patient within 15-20 minutes.

5. You can’t mix long-acting and regular syringes in one syringe; long-acting can’t be administered intravenously.

NB! Insulin is available in ready-to-use form; it is a pancreatic hormone that promotes the absorption of glucose by tissues.

Complications after insulin administration:

Lipodystrophy (disappearance of the subcutaneous layer at the injection sites)

Abscessation

Allergic reactions

Hypoglycemic conditions

“False croup” is stenosing laryngotracheitis.

This is an acute disease characterized by obstruction of the airways in the larynx and the development of respiratory failure during acute respiratory viral infections and influenza.

Development mechanism:

2. swelling of the garter space

3. accumulation of sputum in the lumen of the larynx.

Clinical manifestations:

Rough "barking" cough;

The phenomenon of respiratory failure (the child is restless, rushes about in the crib, inspiratory shortness of breath, cyanosis are manifested, auxiliary muscles are involved in the act of breathing: wings of the nose, intercostal muscles, diaphragm), stenotic breathing.

After being discharged from the maternity hospital, the mother is left alone with the child and is faced with the need to look after him. Some phenomena can frighten a woman, in particular, many young mothers do not know how to properly care for the umbilical wound. Often babies have a problem in the form of a wet navel, how to deal with this?

Symptoms of a weeping navel

In the first minutes after birth, the baby's umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The cord remnant normally falls off within two to four days. In its place, an umbilical wound is formed, which becomes covered with a crust. Complete healing of the navel occurs within two to three weeks.

Normally, the healing process of the umbilical wound may be accompanied by slight weeping and the formation of yellowish crusts. But in the case of pronounced weeping and poor healing of the umbilical wound, they speak of the development of catarrhal omphalitis (wetting navel).

Bacteria (- and,) are to blame for the development of omphalitis, which penetrate into the tissues through the umbilical cord or umbilical wound. The activity of bacteria leads to the development of inflammation.

Symptoms of catarrhal omphalitis (weeping navel) are:

With long-term weeping, a mushroom-shaped growth of granulation tissue can form - this is called umbilical fungus. Catarrhal omphalitis does not affect the general condition of the child in any way. This form of the disease is the most favorable and often occurs among newborns.

Symptoms of purulent omphalitis in newborns

If the discharge from the umbilical wound becomes yellow and thick, this indicates the development purulent omphalitis. At the same time, the skin around the navel swells and turns red. When inflammation spreads to the peri-umbilical area, it develops phlegmonous omphalitis, which is characterized by severe swelling, redness of the skin around the navel, as well as protrusion of the umbilical area. The skin around the navel is hot to the touch, and when you press on this area, pus flows out of the umbilical wound.

A complication of this form of the disease is necrotizing omphalitis. This is a very rare condition, often found in weakened children. With necrotizing omphalitis, the inflammatory process spreads deep into the tissues. The skin in the umbilical area becomes purplish-bluish and soon peels off from the underlying tissue, forming a large wound. This is the most severe form of omphalitis, which can lead to sepsis.

Purulent omphalitis is severe, children become lethargic, do not breastfeed well, and there is an increase in temperature. Fortunately, purulent forms of omphalitis are quite rare.

Prevention and treatment of a weeping navel in newborns

If parents are faced with a problem such as a weeping navel, they should contact their pediatrician. The doctor will treat the umbilical wound and teach this manipulation to parents. For catarrhal omphalitis (weeping navel), the doctor can treat the disease at home. However, with purulent forms of omphalitis, hospitalization of the baby is mandatory.

Treatment and prevention of a weeping navel is carried out as follows:


All newborns need to undergo this procedure once a day until the umbilical wound is completely healed. For babies with a weeping navel, manipulation can be performed two to three times a day.

Navel fungus is treated by cauterizing granulations with a 5% solution of silver nitrate. In the case of phlegmonous omphalitis, the baby is prescribed antibiotics internally, as well as externally in the form of ointments. In the necrotic form of the disease, in addition to antibacterial treatment, surgical excision of dead tissue is performed.

What should you do if your belly button gets wet?

Unfortunately, good intentions do not always lead to a quick recovery. Thus, some manipulations can further aggravate poor healing of the umbilical wound.

What mistakes do parents often make when caring for their baby's belly button?

  1. You should refrain from bathing your child in bathtubs. It is enough to wipe the baby with a wet towel every day.
  2. Do not cover the navel with a band-aid, diapers, or clothing. Contacting the skin with air helps the wound dry out.
  3. Try to forcefully tear off the crusts.
  4. Treat the wound with an antiseptic more often than the doctor advised.