Published in:
01-11-2019 | Commentary
Vitamin K Prophylaxis: Is There a Need for Policy Change?
Authors:
Mahesh Kamate, Nalla Anuraag Reddy
Published in:
Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|
Issue 11/2019
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Excerpt
The saying in medicine, ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is particularly relevant to the field of pediatric neurology, because here the impact of the disease has a long-term effect on the child, family and the society at large. Hence, it is prudent that we take appropriate measures to prevent neuro-disability. One disease, seen mainly in the developing countries like India, where this is particularly important is the Hemorrhagic disease of newborn (HDN). While in the West, due to routine vitamin K supplementation, either oral or intramuscular based on the recommendation of many national guidelines, HDN is a rare entity; in our country due to various reasons, HDN continues to be a problem. Late HDN, which presents after the first week of life, mainly manifests as intracranial hemorrhage [
1]. Depending on the site and amount of bleeding, it either results in mortality or life-long sequelae in the form of cerebral palsy and scar epilepsy with or without cognitive impairment. …