(10) Embalming Infants, Toddlers and Young Children

What is the fat content of an infant?

-At birth, its 12%
-About 6 months, its ~25%
-At 1 year, its 30%

What is the water content of an infant?

-At birth, its 75%
-Around 1 year, it declines to about 60%

What is the muscle mass of infants?

Minute

What instruments should you have on hand?

-Small cannulas
-Must keep clean
-Infant trocar
-Dental floss
-Hypodermic needles and syringes
-Diapers
-Baby wash, shampoo, lotions
-One piece under garment
-bandages

What are the eye closure procedures for an infant?

-cut down regular eye caps or use cotton or putty
-massage cream, stay cream/fix it or vaseline can be applied

What is the mouth closure procedure for infants?

-can be a suture or natural. NO needle injector EVER
-You can use the muscular or frenulum suture
-You can close directly through the mandible/maxilla
-Various adhesives

What medical appliances may need to be removed?

-Remove tubing/appliances in non viewing areas, or when it iasnt affecting feature setting or vessel raising POST embalming, just as with adults
-Remove medical appliances and tubing in viewing areas, or when affecting feature setting or vessel raising PRE embalming just as with adults

What are some positioning options for infants?

-use toweling as a bed to prevent disfiguring of body during embalming
-do what is customary at your FH
-hands can be across chest so a tiny animal or toy can be held
-Put one hand up and behind head and the other across the chest
-Turn head all the way onto right cheek
-Legs may be viewable

What vessels should be used for an infant embalming? (unautopsied)

-CCA (largest non aortic vessel and the most superficial)
-Femoral can be used, if necessary. Recommended to inject distal leg first to see how fluid reacts (second largest non aortic)
-Axillaries are potentially too small to use to be efficient and drainage is difficult to establish
-Abdominal aorta (incision is made to the left of median plane and aorta can then be located_

What are some things to consider when it comes to embalming an infant with the abdominal aorta?

-Deep seated, resting on anterior surface of the spine
-may be considered extreme
-intestines must be moved aside
-inject down first, then up for assessment and better control. adjust pressure and flow appropriately
-treat viscera if expansion occurs

What is the fluid selection for an infant embalming?

-Same/similar fluids as a routine/normal adult or stronger ebcause of the high water content of tissue
-Disease, bacteria and/or delay may be a problem resulting in higher preservative demand