Clinical Study Title:
Vitamin K deficiency--late onset intracranial haemorrhage.

Plain English Summary:

This study looked at the course of hemorrhagic disease of newborns that was related to a vitamin K deficiency. A total of 11 babies were examined and followed. All of the babies had been breastfed by their mothers and none of them had any supplemental vitamin K. Various symptoms were present among the babies, including: vomiting, drowsiness, irritability, fontanel, lessened reflexes, fever, seizures, etc. Follow-up of these babies showed that while none of them died, many of them still had seizures or cerebral palsy. The use of vitamin K supplements for newborns is one treatment that has been found to help reduce the effects of hemorrhagic disease in newborns.

Authors

Aydinli N. Citak A. Caliskan M. Karabocuoglu M. Baysal S. Ozmen M.

Institution

Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Child Health, Istanbul University, Turkey.

Country of Publication

England

Source

European Journal of Paediatric Neurology. 2(4):199-203, 1998.