What to do if pus comes out of the baby's belly button

Pus in the baby's belly button is most likely a symptom caused by neonatal omphalitis. Neonatal omphalitis can have a great impact on the baby's health and development. Whether it is acute neonatal omphalitis or chronic neonatal omphalitis, the child must be taken to the hospital for examination and treatment in time. In addition, certain treatment methods need to be taken according to the child's specific situation!

1. Acute Phase Management

Control infection by keeping the area dry.

(1) Treatment of mild cases: Remove local scabs and use 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and 75% ethanol for cleaning at any time; adults can use hot saline compresses; keep the navel dry.

(2) Abscess treatment: When the abscess is not localized, golden ointment can be applied around the navel or physical therapy can be performed to limit the infection, promote the formation of abscesses and rupture them outwards. After an abscess is formed, it should be incised and drained.

(3) Treatment of systemic infection: Patients with a large amount of pus, or complicated by peritonitis and sepsis should be given adequate doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as penicillin, and effective antibiotics should be selected based on the results of bacteriological examination.

(4) Supportive therapy: When systemic infection occurs, attention should be paid to replenishing water and electrolytes. In order to enhance the body's immunity, fresh whole blood, plasma or albumin can be appropriately given.

2. Chronic Phase Treatment

Small granulation wounds can be cauterized with 10% silver nitrate and then coated with antibiotic ointment. Large granulation wounds can be surgically excised or electrocauterized to remove the granulation tissue. Keep the navel clean and dry to help it heal. It is not advisable to use talcum powder on wounds with secretions to avoid stimulating granulation tissue proliferation.

3. Prevention

The key is to strictly follow aseptic techniques when cutting the umbilical cord, and both the instruments used to cut the umbilical cord and the cord ligation thread must be strictly disinfected. In case of emergency, if the disinfection is not strict during delivery, the umbilical cord should be re-cut and the umbilical cord stump should be strictly disinfected within a few hours.

Before and after the umbilical stump falls off, change diapers frequently and keep the navel clean and dry. You can apply 75% medical alcohol to the umbilical stump and the surrounding area 2 to 3 times a day. If a scab is formed, you should lift up the scab when applying alcohol and apply it from the inside to the outside to truly achieve the disinfection effect.

Also, be careful not to use colored drugs such as gentian violet and mercurochrome, because the color of the drugs can affect the observation of the navel; also do not use powdered drugs such as pine pollen and talcum powder, because the stimulation of powdered foreign bodies can cause chronic inflammation of the navel and form granulomas, which are difficult to heal.

If you find symptoms of omphalitis such as redness, swelling, or purulent secretions in the navel, you should go to the hospital for treatment immediately.