Neonatal

    Neonate is the medical term for a newborn child (birth to 1 month of age). Neonatal is a descriptor that refers to the newborn period.

    Summary

    A neonate is a child that is 1 month or younger. During the neonatal period, a newborn establishes feeding patterns and bonding. Children in the neonatal stage also have a high risk of serious infection because their immune systems are not fully developed. [1]

    Neonatal sepsis, a serious bloodstream infection, is a major cause of death among newborns. Because neonates have a decreased inflammatory and protective immune response to infection, their immune systems are not strong enough to fight off the bacteria that cause sepsis.[2]

    References

    1. ^MedlinePlus:Neonate
    2. ^Raymond SL, Stortz JA, Mira JC, Larson SD, Wynn JL, Moldawer LLImmunological Defects in Neonatal Sepsis and Potential Therapeutic Approaches.Front Pediatr.(2017)