Care for a child with congenital diaphragmatic hernia in an intensive care unit

Introduction. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe developmental anomaly that involves the formation of a defect in the diaphragm that causes the displacement of abdominal organs (stomach, intestines, liver) to the chest, preventing proper lung development. Prenatal diagnosis and intrauterine fetal treatment create the opportunity to correct the defect in the womb and to reduce destructive consequences of a particular defect and fetal diseases.
The aim of the work. The aim of the study is to analyse the case of a child with congenital diaphragmatic hernia diagnosed prenatally, that underwent treatment before and after the birth, and present the role and tasks of nurses in terms of nursing activities-education for the child and their parents.
Material and methods. The study involved a girl treated immediately after her birth in the Department of Intensive Care and Congenital Malformations of Newborns and Infants at the Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute in Lodz and her parents.
Results and conclusions. Advances in prenatal diagnosis and videoscopic surgery have contributed to the development of prenatal surgery, they create the possibility of intrauterine fetal treatment, and increase the chances of the successful completion of the child’s treatment. Nursing care and educational activities undertaken by nurses have an impact on the quality of life of the child and their family.