Dear Chao-Huei, Thank you for your note re: SARS and breastfeeding. In
the case of an infected mother, would you think that breastfeeding would
carry a protection for the baby, and artificial feeding might deprive
the baby of that protection? Has the virus been isolated from
breastmilk? Kathleen
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 7:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: SARS and breastfeeding in Taiwan
Hi, All:
It's been a while since my last post. As you may know that SARS has
become a more serious problem in Taiwan in these two weeks. In the
medical center where I work, we have been planning all the procedures
once there is outbreak in our area. We have meeting twice a week and
every health worker has to receive the training for caring of SARS
patients. The knowledge is being update frequently for it is such a
brand new virus. We are learning from the painful experience of our
colleagues in Taipei city.
Fortunately, from the experience in Hong Kong, we know that the
pediatric population will have the mildest symptoms of all age group and
no mortality was reported in this age group. However, as an advocator of
breastfeeding, we are challenged by many of the hospitals about the BFHI
practice during the SARS epidemic. They withdraw the practice of room-in
and early contact for fear of SARS.
As this is a new virus, no official recommendation is available though I
have tried to contact UNICEF. (Please remember that WHO has ignored the
people in Taiwan for about 30 years though I had some personal contact
with individual person.) From the knowledge what I have, I have made
some suggestions to our health workers:
1.For healthy mother
She should keep on breastfeeding, because breast milk provides the
perfect nutrition and immunological protection for the baby, especially
under the threatening of SARS.
2.For mother who is quarantined due to close contact with suspected or
probable cases of SARS, and she has no symptom and sign of SARS She
should stay with her baby and keep on breastfeeding as usual. If the
baby is cared by nanny (working mothers) and separated from her, the
mother can express her milk and give the baby.
3.For the mother who is a suspected or probable case (with fever, cough,
and even pneumonia) That¡¦s the most difficult case. Our infection
doctors are worried about the virus in the milk and the probable quick
deterioration of the clinical condition of the mother. At the present,
when the mother has symptoms, her baby may be separated from her
already. We may suggest artificial feeding but encourage continuous
breast expression. No one knows whether exclusive breastfeeding will
carry the same risk as artificial feeding like the case of HIV.
4.Is it safe to keep on early contact and room-in?
The baby will expose to more health staffs with increased risk for virus
exposure when he/she stays in the nursery. Early contact and room-in
should be the routine as usually. Health staffs should wear masks and
wash hands before they visit mother and baby.
5.Is it safe to keep on early contact and room-in for a mother who is
been quarantined and without symptoms or signs? Mother and baby should
keep together from the beginning with close supervision from the health
staffs. Health staffs should practice good infection control and
hygiene.
That¡¦s my own opinion. I am open for any suggestion and information,
which is really needed here.
Chao-Huei
Neonatologist, Taichung Veterans General Hospital
***********************************************
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
***********************************************
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
