Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...

• Check the infant for the following:
o inadequate weight gain
o skin rashes
o oral thrush
For the mother, do the following:
• Refer the mother for clinical assessment and evaluation of the need for ARV treatment if
eligible.
• Provide cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy (CPT) for the mother, according to national
guidelines.
• Counsel the mother on:
o The benefits of birth spacing if she is not already using a family planning method:
Stress the special importance and benefits of birth spacing/family planning.
Provide information on available methods.
Support her in her choice of the method, including LAM.
Arrange for follow-up counseling and support on her chosen method.
o Continued safer sex practices.
o Frequent occurrence in the baby of diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, acute otitis
media, opportunistic infections such as thrush and failure to thrive.
o Symptoms of opportunistic infections in herself, such as fever, cough, night sweats,
weight loss, diarrhea.
o When to bring the child for immunization, weight check-up/growth monitoring, and for
supplements such as vitamin A.
• If no clinical HIV services are immediately available for referral of the mother and infant,
counsel the mother about HIV in infants and the need to get testing and treatment as
soon as possible.
• Provide psychosocial support and link the mother to community support for HIV care and
services.
• Make an appointment for the next visit for HIV care according to national guidelines.
• Place the family in contact with an available community health worker/volunteer where
available and feasible.
122
Integrated maternal and newborn care
Basic skills course