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Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
About me
Deputy Chief Physician, working in the Pediatrics Department of Ganzhou City People's Hospital.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in nephrotic syndrome in children.
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Can phenylketonuria cause hair to turn white?
Phenylketonuria is caused by a mutation in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene, resulting in reduced or lost enzyme activity, and a metabolic disorder of phenylalanine in the liver. Children with phenylketonuria lack phenylalanine hydroxylase, leading to reduced tyrosine and normal metabolic products. The content of phenylalanine in the blood increases, secondary metabolic pathways are enhanced, producing phenylpyruvic acid, phenylacetic acid, and phenyllactic acid, which are excreted in large amounts in the urine. High concentrations of phenylalanine and its abnormal metabolic products inhibit tyrosinase, leading to disturbances in melanin synthesis. Therefore, untreated children will gradually show changes in hair color from black to yellow and skin lightening after three months.
What should I do if a child's eczema is oozing?
Infant eczema, if accompanied by oozing skin, generally indicates a severe condition, primarily treated with topical medications. Calamine lotion can be applied to the affected area. If necessary, corticosteroid ointments may also be used externally, and attention must be paid to preventing local skin infections. Oral antihistamines may be administered to manage the condition, and it is important to keep the skin clean. Avoid the intake of irritating foods. If the condition of the baby worsens, it is advisable to take the child to the hospital for further diagnosis and treatment. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)
How to treat a child's cold with a stuffy nose
When children catch a cold, they may exhibit symptoms such as fever, runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. If a child's nasal congestion is severe and the nose is blocked, we can apply a warm towel to the root of the nose for a hot compress, or gently remove the nasal secretions using a small cotton swab. It is also possible to apply some nasal ointment at the vestibule of the nose to improve air passage. At the same time, it is advised to administer cold medicine for symptomatic treatment.
Will children with colds have recurrent low-grade fever?
Children with a cold may experience recurrent low fevers. In children, colds are generally caused by viral infections, such as rhinoviruses, common coronaviruses, etc. The symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, etc., and the duration of the illness is mostly three to five days, usually not exceeding a week. Therefore, during the course of the illness, the symptoms of a cold may recur. During the illness, fever-reducing measures are taken, such as physical cooling and medication. However, after the fever subsides, it may recur, which is a normal phenomenon.
Does phenylketonuria require chromosome testing?
Phenylketonuria is usually screened during the neonatal period through routine blood testing, where the level of phenylalanine in the blood is measured to screen each newborn. This enables early diagnosis and treatment, hence reducing the occurrence of intellectual disabilities. Phenylketonuria can also be screened prenatally before the birth of the newborn. It is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, closely related to chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, prenatal screening can be conducted by amniocentesis between the 16th to 20th weeks of pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities detected through the amniocentesis indicate that the fetus carries the pathogenic gene, meaning the child will be born with phenylketonuria. If both parents carry related genes, it is crucial to undergo prenatal screening and chromosomal analysis to eliminate the risk of the fetus developing the condition.
Is a square skull definitely rickets?
Square skull is not necessarily rickets; square skull can be seen in rickets and congenital syphilis, especially common in rickets. It is often seen in children with rickets older than 8-9 months, due to a lack of calcium in the bones which leads to inadequate bone deposition and calcification. Under the periosteum of the child's frontal bone, parietal bone, and occipital bone, a large amount of osteoid deposition forms the square skull. Therefore, while square skull is not necessarily indicative of rickets, it is a common manifestation in rickets.
How does an umbilical hernia gradually improve?
Umbilical hernia refers to a protrusion formed by abdominal contents through the weak area of the umbilicus. After the umbilical cord falls off in the neonatal period, the umbilical scar area, due to the phase when the umbilical cord passes through the abdominal wall during fetal life, creates a congenital separation in the abdominal wall. In infancy, the abdominal muscles on either side do not completely close at the midline, leaving a defect and forming the umbilical ring. When crying, coughing, or struggling increases intra-abdominal pressure, the abdominal contents gradually push outwards through the umbilicus, forming an umbilical hernia. Most umbilical hernias can heal on their own within one year through the contraction of the umbilical fascial ring. Therefore, unless incarceration occurs, observation and waiting with non-surgical treatment can be adopted to promote healing before the age of two.
Can phenylketonuria eat corn?
People with phenylketonuria can eat corn. Phenylketonuria is a hereditary metabolic disease that can be treated through dietary control. Once diagnosed with phenylketonuria, one must stop a natural diet and switch to a low-phenylalanine diet. When the concentration of phenylalanine in the blood drops to an ideal level, natural foods can be gradually reintroduced in small amounts, but the diet must still adhere to low-protein and low-phenylalanine standards. Corn mainly consists of starch and does not contain phenylalanine, so individuals with phenylketonuria can eat corn.
What should I do if precocious puberty is not treated in time?
Precocious puberty is defined as the abnormal condition where secondary sexual characteristics develop before the age of eight in girls and nine in boys. The harm of this disease includes shorter adult height, earlier sexual behavior, and suppressed personality, among other effects. The principle of treatment primarily focuses on improving the child's adult height, with treatments mainly including medication and etiological treatment. If diagnosed and treated early, the prognosis is generally good, and the final adult height can be significantly improved. If treatment is not administered in a timely manner, and the epiphyses of the bones have closed, it may not be possible to alter the final height.
Do newborns with pneumonia have a red complexion?
Neonatal pneumonia generally does not cause a flushed face; instead, it may lead to cyanosis or blueness. Neonatal pneumonia can present with fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but these symptoms might not be typical and could merely show as rapid breathing and severe vomiting. The physical signs of neonatal pneumonia are also not obvious, and it is difficult to hear wet rales in the lungs. When a newborn has pneumonia, due to the obstruction of gas exchange in the lungs, the infant will breathe faster to improve the hypoxic condition, thus presenting shortness of breath and a tendency to vomit easily. When a baby has pneumonia, they are prone to hypoxia, and the face and lips may turn blue or cyanotic, rather than red.