What are the symptoms of low blood calcium in babies?

Children in childhood will always face some diseases, such as hypocalcemia. This disease has a great impact on the baby's growth and may also hinder the baby's development. Once confirmed, parents must take their baby to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible and actively cooperate with the doctor. So, if your baby has low blood calcium, what are the main manifestations in daily life?

1. The mother may have diabetes or gestational hypertension during pregnancy, which is more common in premature babies and those with a history of asphyxia.

2. The disease usually occurs a few hours to 2 days after birth, with symptoms such as restlessness, startle, limb tremors, laryngeal spasm, convulsions, etc. Children are generally in good condition between attacks.

3. Blood calcium is lower than 3.5 mmol/L (7 mg/dl) or free calcium is lower than 1.75 mmol/L (3.5 mg/dl). Early hypocalcemia often occurs within 72 hours after birth and is seen in premature infants, low birth weight infants, various dystocia, infants with intracranial hemorrhage, asphyxia, RDS, sepsis, acidosis after using alkaline fluids, and in mothers with diabetes, gestational hypertension, and hyperparathyroidism. Asymptomatic hypocalcemia in premature infants can often be relieved naturally.

What is the cause of hypocalcemia in babies?

1. Temporary suppression of parathyroid function

Early hypocalcemia occurs within 2 days after birth and is mostly due to temporary suppression of parathyroid function. Because in the late pregnancy, the amount of calcium in the maternal blood that is actively transferred to the fetus through the placenta increases, parathyroid function is inhibited. Low birth weight infants, asphyxia and newborns with respiratory distress syndrome have poorer parathyroid function and less calcium reserves than full-term normal newborns. Some people have higher levels of calcitonin in their blood within a few days after birth, which is also related to hypocalcemia. The blood calcium level of patients in the early stage is often lower than 1.75mmol/L.

2. Cow milk feeding

Late hypocalcemia occurs 3 days after birth, with the peak at the end of the first week. It is more common in newborns fed with cow's milk. Due to excessive phosphorus intake and imbalance in the calcium-phosphorus ratio, calcium absorption is impaired, resulting in low blood calcium. The blood calcium level is usually lower than 2.00mmol/L.

3. Hypocalcemia caused by congenital parathyroid insufficiency in a small number of cases

The onset may be early or late, and the symptoms may last for a long time, up to more than 3 weeks. However, in most children, the development of parathyroid function can catch up with that of normal infants as they grow older, so the condition is temporary.