Abstract
Collodion baby is a rare neonatal condition. When infants with this condition are born, their entire bodies are covered by a membrane this membrane is taut, shiny to the touch and the eye, with a texture similar to the parchment commonly seen in daily life. This barrier, which ought to protect the skin, malfunctions and cannot fulfill its normal protective role. Newborns with the condition then face multiple risks: rapid fluid loss leading to dehydration, disrupted electrolyte balance in the body, increased susceptibility to pathogenic infections, and inability to maintain a stable body temperature. When this condition occurs, the infant must receive professional clinical intervention as early as possible. This paper documents such a case: a male infant born at 38 weeks of gestation, a full-term birth. During the initial examination immediately after the newborn was first assessed, it was found that the skin across his entire body was taut, shiny, and presented with an abnormal yellowish hue. In addition to this abnormal skin condition, he also presented with several other issues: the eyelids of both eyes were everted and could not close, his lips were protruding and everted, the shape of his ears differed from that of a normal newborn, and even his limbs could not extend freely, presenting with symptoms of pseudo contracture.In response to all of the infant's conditions, the medical and nursing team developed a care plan one by one. The treatment and nursing care provided included constantly helping him maintain a stable body temperature, replenishing the fluids and nutrients his body required via intravenous infusion, applying topical emollients to his skin daily to protect the skin, delivering specialized ophthalmic treatment for his eyelid ectropion, administering routine antibiotics in advance to prevent infection, and arranging special nursing staff to help him feed smoothly to obtain nutrients. In addition, the hospital coordinated teams from multiple different departments to work together, providing continuous joint care for him and addressing all the clinical conditions he developed. One week after birth, the collodion membrane covering the male infant's body began to gradually shed. The eyelids that had previously been unable to close returned to normal, and the eversion symptoms resolved completely. The pseudo contracture that had prevented his limbs from extending also gradually improved throughout his hospitalization. Throughout the entire period from admission to discharge, the male infant's hemodynamic status remained stable, and he was discharged smoothly on the 18th day after birth. The doctor's discharge instructions clearly required that when the child was brought back to the outpatient clinic for follow-up visits, a genetic test should be completed for the child. This case also reminds all relevant medical staff that to achieve good short-term recovery outcomes for this type of patient, three elements are indispensable: early identification of this special condition, meticulous delivery of all nursing work that supports the child's physical recovery, and organization of multi-department joint diagnosis and treatment. All three of these points are critically important.