Newborn respiratory disorders

Objectives: After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Evaluate and diagnose the most common causes of respiratory distress in the newborn period. 2. Differentiate between the normal results of a newborn chest radiograph and the radiographic patterns that reflect neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, meconium aspiration syndrome, retained fetal lung liquid syndrome, and neonatal pneumonia. 3. Recognize subglottic stenosis as a complication of endotracheal intubation. 4. Distinguish between pulmonary disease and cyanotic congenital heart disease as a cause of hypoxemia and acidosis in the neonate. 5. Discuss common complications of various respiratory disorders (such as meconium aspiration syndrome) and the untoward effects of specific therapies (intubation and mechanical ventilation). 6. Describe how chronic lung disease may result from meconium aspiration.