When a child is born, they are going through a transition from the uterus to the outside world, which is a difficult transition for them, but sometimes they also face congenital conditions or deformations that affect them during their whole life. One of these is biliary atresia which is an obstruction of the bile ducts that generally occurs due to congenital, stricture or absence of the duct. On average, one case of biliary atresia occurs in every 15,000 live births. Biliary atresia occurs slightly more often in females than in males and affects children of all races. In the United States, approximately 300 new childhood cases are diagnosed each year. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The main sign, jaundice, does not develop until between the ages of 2 and 6 weeks, although biliary atresia is considered a congenital disorder. To distinguish this type of jaundice from other types labs will show increased levels of direct bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. Subsequently, continued obstruction and back pressure will cause liver cell damage which will manifest as abnormal AST levels. Soon after the baby will show low levels of fat and fat soluble absorption due to the lack of bile salts reaching the intestine which will cause diarrhea and weight loss. The baby's stool will appear light in color due to the lack of bile pigments, and the urine will be dark due to the buildup of bilirubin. If a biliary atresia is detected early, a procedure called Kasai will be performed to redirect the bile duct to drain into the intestine. If the surgery is successful, the baby's stool will become darker and the jaundice will slowly disappear. Due to the location of the bile duct, surgery may not be possible, so after prolonged obstruction the child will need a liver transplant or death from liver failure will occur. If they go undetected, most children die before the age of two, and even with successful surgery, most children have liver problems for life. The first nursing diagnosis presented in the assignment is Risk of an unbalanced diet, less than the body's needs, related to the inability to nourish oneself. digest fat. The recommendation will be to subject the child to a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. To improve levels, water-soluble forms of fat-soluble vitamins are administered, in particular vitamin K necessary for adequate clotting. Most children will continue to eat a similar diet or total parenteral nutrition until a liver transplant can occur. The second nursing diagnosis is risk of bleeding due to failure to absorb vitamin K. The child's parents will need to adhere to anticoagulant medications and laboratory work regiments. Also, monitor for any signs and symptoms of bleeding and report it to your doctor immediately. Avoid giving NSAIDs to children because they will increase the chance of bleeding. The third nursing diagnosis involves impaired comfort due to disease-related symptoms. The child will have difficulty feeling comfortable due to inflammation of the skin with intense itching, caused by the accumulation of bile salts in the body. The child will also have difficulty breathing due to the increased abdominal distention which will create extreme discomfort. Teaching parents what to expect when the child comes home is important due to the severity of the illness. Their child will most likely be placed on a strict diet with.