Neonatal jaundice is a common medical condition that affects approximately 2/3 of healthy newborn infants, according to Dr. Daniel Homme with the University of South Alabama. The characteristic features of neonatal jaundice, such as yellow skin or eyes, occur because an infant's body has high levels of a yellow-colored waste product called bilirubin. Though these symptoms typically resolve on their own, complications from neonatal jaundice can arise if symptoms persist for longer than two weeks.
Cerebral Palsy
Infants who have perpetually high levels of bilirubin within their bodies can develop cerebral palsy as a complication from neonatal jaundice, warn medical professionals with MedlinePlus. Babies with cerebral palsy may not develop noticeable symptoms until they are 2 or 3 years old. Symptoms associated with cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine or gross motor skills, such as coloring with crayons or walking. Infants and toddlers can have difficulty sitting up or may display unusual, involuntary limb spasms or twitches. A baby with this condition may have weak muscles or have difficulty feeding due to poor sucking, explain health experts with 4MyChild. This complication from neonatal jaundice results in permanent cognitive and motor skill development issues in affected babies.
Reversible Brain Damage
High levels of bilirubin in an infant's body can injure his brain. When detected early, this brain damage, called early acute bilirubin encephalopathy, is reversible, explains UpToDate. Symptoms of acute bilirubin encephalopathy can include high-pitched crying, poor feeding and fever. A parent or caregiver may notice that an affected infant is difficult to awaken from sleep or abnormally arches his back and neck. Babies who develop any of these symptoms require immediate medical attention from a physician to prevent the further neonatal jaundice complications.
Permanent Brain Damage
Persistently high levels of bilirubin within an infant's body that are left untreated can cause permanent brain damage. This neonatal jaundice complication, also called kernicterus, can cause a number of symptoms in affected infants, such as uncontrolled body movement, fixed upward eye gaze, poor cognitive development and hearing loss, explain medical experts with MayoClinic.com. Unfortunately, these complications from neonatal jaundice are permanent and can become progressively worse over time.
