Since the mother’s antibodies protect a newborn in the first few months of life, a baby born with an immune disorder may not appear ill right away. However, should there be a suspicion of Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), while the details of your baby’s treatment are being worked out there are important measures to follow to keep the baby safe from infections.
Safety Precautions- Your baby should be isolated from anyone with a cold or infection.
- Avoid public places where there are crowds or children who are not members of the immediate family.
- Everyone should follow strict hand washing or hand sanitizing before touching your baby.
Avoid live virus vaccinesVaccines such as rotavirus, chickenpox, mumps, measles and live poliovirus should not be given to any baby suspected of having a poorly functioning immune system. In addition, household members should not receive any live vaccines.
Blood or platelet transfusions must be irradiatedIf a baby diagnosed with SCID needs a blood or platelet transfusion, the blood product must be irradiated, meaning it must be exposed to an x-ray. This is to prevent a life threatening reaction between any live T cells from the transfusion against the baby’s tissues. The blood product also needs to be tested to make sure it is free of the virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Other supporting treatmentsPreventive antibiotics may be needed to ward off infections the baby’s immune system is unable to handle. Most of these antibiotics can be given by mouth. Babies with SCID are missing an important protective antibody, called immunoglobulin, because their B cells do not make it. However, replacement immunoglobulin can be given through the vein or under the skin to give your baby more protection against infections.
