Abstract

Newborn infants who for any reason have not received vitamin K supplementation are at risk of major haemorrhagic complications including intracranial bleeding, due to vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). We describe a 5-month-old exclusively breastfed infant who presented with subdural haemorrhage following a fall from the mother’s lap and was found to have VKDB. The patient was lost to follow-up and was brought back at 8 years of age with global developmental delay, epilepsy and hemiparesis. Computed tomography scan showed left-sided encephalomalacia. Healthcare providers and the public should be aware of this preventable, acquired coagulopathy and its potential sequelae, and encourage the uptake of vitamin K at birth.

Key words: Vitamin K deficiency bleeding; Subdural haemorrhage; Long-term outcome; Epilepsy; Neuroimaging.