Question
The newborn was found to have red blood cells and white blood cells in the stool three months after birth, which may be due to a lack of vitamin K. What symptoms might occur? The child has previously been given amoxicillin suspension and oral vitamin K. How should treatment be administered?
Answer
Vitamin K is a nutrient essential for the synthesis of clotting factors, and a deficiency may lead to abnormal blood clotting function and skin hemorrhagic spots in newborns. Phylloquinone is a common vitamin K1 preparation used to treat hypoprothrombinemia caused by the use of coumarin or indandione anticoagulants. In emergency situations, vitamin K1 can be administered via intramuscular or intravenous injection. The usual dose for adults is 10 milligrams by intramuscular injection. In non-emergency situations, oral administration of 5 to 20 milligrams of vitamin K1 can alleviate hypoprothrombinemia. Effects are typically seen within 1 to 2 hours, but in rare cases, severe allergic reactions may occur, including shock and sudden cardiac arrest.