Final answer:
A congenital diaphragmatic hernia typically presents with neonatal symptoms such as temperature instability, apnea, bradycardia, and feeding difficulties. Aspiration of meconium can cause severe respiratory problems, and in some cases, associated disorders like Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) may occur, especially in premature infants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typical neonatal clinical presentation of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia includes a variety of symptoms that indicate respiratory and physiological distress in the newborn. These symptoms may encompass temperature instability, apnea, bradycardia, hypotension, and difficulty feeding. Additional signs of this condition can include irritability, limpness, seizures, bulging fontanel, stiff neck, opisthotonos, hemiparesis, and it can often be fatal if not treated promptly and properly. Moreover, the newborn may have a barrel-shaped chest and a low Apgar score. In severe cases, the complications may lead to anemia, edema, enlarged liver or spleen, and hydrops.
Complications such as the aspiration of meconium are critical concerns because meconium can cause airway obstruction leading to alveolar collapse, strip surfactant from the lungs, or lead to pulmonary inflammation or hypertension—all of which significantly increase the newborn's vulnerability to pulmonary infection, like pneumonia. It is crucial that meconium is aspirated from the newborn before the first breath to prevent these complications.
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) is another potential disorder associated with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, particularly in pre-term infants, due to insufficient production of pulmonary surfactant, impeding proper lung inflation at birth.