Congenital syphilis (1172)

Key points below

Congenital Syphilis

What is syphilis?

Syphilis is an infection caused by a bacteria. It is most often given through sexual contact.

What is congenital syphilis?

This is when the bacteria is passed from a pregnant person their baby before the baby is born.

Some babies may not have any signs or symptoms. Some babies get symptoms within the first few months of life. These include:

enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)
illness of the lungs (pneumonia)
skin sores
yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
runny nose
rash
bones may not grow normally
big lymph nodes.
swelling of the covering around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
hearing or vision problems.
slower development/not reaching developmental milestones

Untreated children can still get symptoms after 2 years. Older children can have malformed bones, teeth, joints, and skin. They can also have hearing and vision problems. They often have developmental, motor, and sensory problems.

How do we test for congenital syphilis?

The baby will have a blood test. If they have syphilis, the test will be repeated every 2 to 3 months after treatment.

If the baby does have syphilis or has a risk of getting it from the mother, they may need more tests. Tests include blood counts, liver function tests, bone x-rays, and a spinal tap to check for syphilis in
the brain or spinal cord (called neurosyphilis).

What does my baby need?

Babies with syphilis need to be treated. Your baby will need medicine through an IV or as a shot. It is usually penicillin. It is important that your baby gets the full dose. They need to take it for as long as your doctor told you.

Why do I need to do it?

It is very important to treat this infection as soon as possible. Symptoms can get worse over time. Syphilis can cause lasting damage to your child’s bones, teeth, brain, vision or hearing if left untreated.

For more health and wellness information check out this resource:

https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents
https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWI/en/parents/syphilis.html?ref=search

ALERT

Call your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if you have any questions or concerns or if your child has special health care needs that were not covered by this information.