As a newborn develops, problems can arise and bring uneasiness to parents. Jaundice remains a common affliction that occurs when a baby's underdeveloped liver can't remove the excess bilirubin in her blood. Although jaundice usually goes away on its own in a few days, it can cause brain injuries in the most severe cases.
Causes
Jaundice occurs when a baby's body can't process bilirubin; this yellow pigment is a byproduct of the routine breakdown of red blood cells. Normal jaundice comes when the baby's immature liver cannot eliminate bilirubin from the body, but it goes away by the time the baby reaches 1 to 2 weeks of age. Premature babies often suffer from this condition, since their livers have less time to develop. Breastfeeding jaundice occurs when a baby doesn't get enough milk from his mother, due to low milk production. If the baby and mother have different blood types, blood group incompatibility jaundice could arise, as the mother's antibodies might kill the baby's red blood cells.
Skin and Eyes
Jaundice symptoms, such as yellow skin and eyes, usually arise between the second and fourth day after the baby's birth. The yellow coloring begins on an infant's face and progresses to her chest, arms, legs and possibly her eyes. When checking for these symptoms, press down on your baby's forehead and look for yellow coloring. If her skin looks lighter when pressed, she doesn't have jaundice.
Behavior
Your baby may show other worrisome symptoms if he has jaundice. He might become difficult to wake and appear sick. He also might begin feeding poorly, making it difficult for him to gain weight. You might find such symptoms accompanied by high-pitched screams. If a doctor diagnoses your baby with jaundice and it lasts more than three weeks, return to your doctor for treatment options.
Treatment
Although jaundice usually takes care of itself in a few days, your doctor will consider how fast your baby's bilirubin levels have risen and how high they've gotten. If her levels increase too quickly or get too high, your doctor will recommend a treatment option. In some cases, the doctor places the baby under blue lights, which help break down bilirubin. In other cases, doctors use an artificial warming lamp to help the babies maintain the same body temperature. If the jaundice reaches an extreme point, the baby might require a blood transfusion. Very high levels of bilirubin can damage a baby's brain, so this treatment must come swiftly.
