digestive system<\/a>. One of the most common complications associated with the condition is, \u201cNecrotizing enterocolitis,\u201d or NEC.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNEC occurs when the child experiences inflammation or injury to the tissues in the large or small intestines, resulting in cell and tissue death in the digestive tract which causes necrosis or a hole in the intestinal wall. This situation is life-threatening to children, and they require immediate hospitalization to remove the affected area of the intestines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should the baby not receive treatment in time, bacteria, viruses, and fungi may pass through the hole in the intestines, infecting the bloodstream. The pathogens then spread to other areas of the body through the circulatory system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infants with NEC may exhibit symptoms of a red and swollen belly, along with persistent crying and constipation. The child may refuse to feed, and they become lethargic or unresponsive to your visual and physical cues.
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