Grey baby syndrome

Background

Grey baby syndrome is a side effect of chloramphenicol affecting newborns of mothers who have been exposed to the drug. Symptoms usually occur within 1 week of exposure, and include an ashen gray color of the skin (hence the name), failure to thrive, poor appetite, vomiting, hypotension, hypothermia. The cause of grey baby syndrome is thought to be related to insufficient ability of the newborn's liver to metabolize the drug, as well as insufficient renal excretion.