When parents hear that their baby has jaundice, they often worry unnecessarily about their baby's condition. According to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, jaundice occurs in approximately half of all newborns and is rarely serious. In serious cases that are left untreated, brain damage can develop.
Identification
Beginning with the face and moving down to the chest, abdomen and extremities, excess bilirubin in the baby's body causes jaundice, a yellowing of the skin. In same cases, the whites of the eyes also turn yellow. Bilirubin levels are measured using blood tests as well as noninvasive bilirubinometers placed on the newborn's skin.
Cause
A newborn has an extra amount of red blood cells. According to "The Baby Book," in normal conditions, when red blood cells are broken down, bilirubin is released and processed by the liver. However, a newborn's liver is not mature enough to remove all the excess bilirubin quickly, which causes the skin to turn yellow.
A jaundiced baby may also not be getting enough breast milk, which prevents the excess bilirubin from being excreted in the baby's stools.
In rare cases, women produce a substance in their breast milk that causes jaundice. In these cases, jaundice begins when the baby is four to seven days old. The University of Iowa Children's Hospital notes that this type of jaundice is harmless.
Another rare sceniario occurs when there is a blood type incompatibility between mother and baby. This produces a serious type of jaundice that occurs within 24 hours of birth.
Time Frame
In normal cases of jaundice, a newborn will normally begin turning yellow two to three days after he is born. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, jaundice will disappear for a breastfed baby within two to three weeks and will disappear for a formula fed baby within two weeks. If the yellow skin is present for more than three weeks, make an appointment with your child's pediatrician.
If you breastfeed, nurse your baby up to 12 times per day to help your baby eliminate the excess bilirubin.
Treatment
In most cases, no treatment is necessary other than feeding your baby often, to help with bilirubin elimination. In cases where bilirubin is high, a doctor may prescribe phototherapy. Phototherapy involves a specialized blue light that is used to break down the bilirubin in the blood. Phototherapy can be done in a hospital or at home.
Concerns
According to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, contact your child's physician if jaundice occurs within 24 hours after birth, the jaundice is accompanied with a temperature over 100.4 degrees, or if your baby seems sick. Since bilirubin is removed through the stools, you will need to contact your doctor if your baby is having fewer than three bowel movements per day. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should also contact your child's physician if the yellowing increases in severity and if a jaundiced baby is hard to wake up or not eating well.
References
- University of Iowa Children's Hospital: Jaundice
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Jaundice
- "The Baby Book"; William Sears, M.D. & Martha Sears, R.N.; 1993
