Jaundice in newborn : Is it an emergency & its management? - Dr. Suresh Gowda

Jaundice is the yellow discolouration of the skin or the white of the eyes that is often seen in the new-born infants, the discolration is caused by a yellow substance called as bilirubin. Infants with high blood levels of bilirubin, called as hyperbilirubinemia, develop the yellow colour when bilirubin accumulates in the skin. Infants with darker skin can have blood bilirubin levels and the jaundice may not be identified. Jaundice in the first 24 hours of birth or the presence of yellowing of the palms and the soles is a medical emergency. Jaundice is not a disease but is a symptom of an elevated blood bilirubin level. Jaundice is not painful but in some infants serious complications can occur if elevated bilirubin levels are not treated in a timely manner. Jaundice is a ,marker that identifies the infants who are at risk of developing sever hyperbilirubinemia, which can be toxic to the nervous system and cause brain damage. Jaundice causes skin to be yellow, later the eyes may have a yellowish tinge and may be difficult to recognize in children with dark skin colour or if the baby is unable to open eyelids. Jaundice can be checked by pressing one finger, in the baby’s forehead or the nose. If the skin is jaundiced the skin will appear yellow when you release pressure form the skin. It can be traced in some babies by checking bony prominence of the hips, the knees to cheek if the jaundice is progressing. Your infant should see a doctor within 1 to 2 , 3 days after going home. The signs of worsening jaundice you should see the doctor if you see any of the following for example, of there is yellow colouring of the knee or lower, if the yellow colour is more intense, lemon yellow or orange yellow, if the baby has difficulty in feeding. If the baby has difficult in feeding, difficult I waking up, if the baby tends to arch his back or neck backwards. Jaundice is caused by accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, bilirubin is formed when the red blood cells are broken down. Bilirubin, a yellow pigment is naturally removed by the lower and excreted in stool and urine. Bilirubin levels become elevated when the bilirubin is produced faster, than it can be removed jaundice is common in new-borns since more bilirubin is produced during this period. Benign newborn jaundice, which affects nearly all newborn is caused by mild to moderate elevation of bilirubin, it affects after 72 and 96 hours after birth and goes away 1 to 2 weeks after birth. The infants who are born 35 to 37 weeks of gestation, and those who are severely jaundiced, the jaundice may require more time to resolve. Newborns with higher levels of bilirubin have sever hyper bilirubinaemia. A more serious condition that physiological jaundice. The reason why bilirubin levels are higher in infants is that more red blood cells are broken down, as a result more bilirubin is produced. This can result in more bruising and mild injuries during delivery. If the mothers and infants blood groups and types are incompatible, the mothers immune system may attack the child’s blood cells and inherited cause of red blood cell breakdown, such as G6PD, occur more frequently among African American, Mediterranean and Asian races, the tests for jaundice is the serum bilirubin level and is there anything to get the baby’s jaundice better? Make sure you beast feed your baby in the right way. If your baby is not feeding enough please see a doctor. If your baby is having 6 or 7 wet diapers a day, then she has increased bowel movement and change from dark green to yellow, and they are happy after feeding. Some babies do not need any other treatment , because the bilirubin levels are only a little high and the jaundice will get better. The way we treat jaundice is by light therapy. Babies need special light or light blanket around him or naked or wear only a diaper so the light can shine on their skin.

[sanasaim]

Such a master piece to the point complete video no need to see further video

[prismia]

My son had this in 2013 as a newborn, his voice (he "talked" a lot right after the birth) changed to "helium voice". How common is that? He is fine, he got treatment.

[ishantsaini]

Hello Sir
My son was born on 31st aug 2020
He was discharge on 3rd sept at bilirubin 15level but after 2days his bilirubin level becomes 27 after that we admitted him on a hospital and they gave him a phototherapy for 48hrs after that his bilirubin goes down and it becomes 9.6 on day before yesterday
I am very lucj worry that will this level affect my son like damage brain or other body parts
But at the time of phototherapy he feed properly and behaving normaly still he is normal and response properly and also feeding well
Just worry about his future but at present he is very fine