Neonatal jaundice is the medical term for jaundice. Neonatal jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes of a newborn baby.
Infant jaundice is a common condition, especially in babies born before 38 weeks of gestation (premature babies) and some breastfed babies.
Most babies born between 35 weeks’ gestation and full term do not require treatment for jaundice. Although the disease is considered harmless,ParentsIt is best to understand the steps that should be taken when dealing with a baby with neonatal jaundice.
Getting to Know Neonatal Jaundice
The medical term for Icterus Neonatorum is also known asjaundice, which is jaundice in newborns. PageHealthlinewrite, jaundice in newborns is a yellowing of the skin and eyes of a baby. Jaundice in newborns is very common and can occur when a baby has high levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced during the normal breakdown of red blood cells.
In older infants and adults, the liver processes bilirubin, which then passes it through the intestinal tract. However, a newborn’s still-developing liver may not be mature enough to excrete bilirubin.
The good news is that in most cases, newborn jaundice will go away on its own as the baby’s liver develops and as the baby begins to breastfeed, which helps the bilirubin pass through the body.
In most cases, jaundice will go away within 2 to 3 weeks. Jaundice that lasts longer than 3 weeks may be a symptom of an underlying condition.
In addition, high bilirubin levels can put the baby at risk for deafness,cerebral palsy, or other forms of brain damage.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all newborns be checked for jaundice before discharge from the hospital and again when the baby is between 3 and 5 days old.
Symptoms of Jaundice in Babies
Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes are the main signs of jaundice in babies. This symptom usually appears between the second and fourth day after birth, according to the health page.Mayo Clinic.
To check for jaundice, gently press your baby’s forehead or nose. If the skin looks yellow where you pressed, your baby likely has mild jaundice. If your baby does not have jaundice, his or her skin will appear slightly lighter than normal for a moment.
Examine your baby in good lighting conditions, preferably during the day with natural light.
Causes of Neonatal Jaundice
Why can my baby get jaundice? PageNHSexplained that jaundice is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow substance produced when red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, are broken down.
Jaundice is common in newborns because babies have a high number of red blood cells in their blood, which are frequently broken down and replaced. In addition, a newborn’s liver is not fully developed and is less effective at removing bilirubin from the blood.
By the time babies are about 2 weeks old, their livers are more effective at processing bilirubin so jaundice often resolves on its own by this age without causing any damage.
In a small number of cases, jaundice can be a sign of an underlying health condition. This is most common if jaundice develops soon after birth (within the first 24 hours).
Other Causes
Other health conditions can cause jaundice in infants. In these cases, jaundice often appears much earlier or later than the more common forms of infant jaundice. Quoting the pageMayoClinic, diseases or conditions that can cause jaundice, including:
- Internal bleeding
- Infection in your baby’s blood (sepsis)
- Other viral or bacterial infections
- Incompatibility between mother’s blood and baby’s blood
- Liver damage
- Biliary atresia, a condition in which the baby’s bile duct is blocked or injured
- Enzyme deficiency
- An abnormality in your baby’s red blood cells that causes them to break down quickly
Meanwhile, the pageHealthlineexplains, babies who are at high risk of developing jaundice, namely
- Premature birth (a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation).
- Babies who are not getting enough breast milk or formula, either because they have difficulty latching on or because their milk has not come in yet.
- Babies whose blood type is incompatible with their mothers can develop a buildup of antibodies that can destroy their red blood cells and cause sudden increases in bilirubin levels.
Diagnosis
How is jaundice in newborns diagnosed?
Hospitals will usually discharge most mothers and newborns within 72 hours of delivery. It is important for parents to bring their babies in for a check-up a few days after birth because bilirubin levels peak between 3 and 7 days after birth.
Launching the pageHealthline, the presence of a distinct yellow color confirms that the baby has jaundice. However, additional tests may be needed to determine the severity of jaundice in this baby.
Babies who experience jaundice in the first 24 hours of life should have their bilirubin levels measured immediately, either through a skin test or a blood test.
Additional tests may be needed to see if your baby’s jaundice is caused by an underlying condition. This may include testing your baby for a complete blood count (CBC), blood type, and Rhesus (Rh) factor incompatibility.
Additionally, a Coombs test may be performed to check for increased red blood cell destruction.
Handling of Neonatal Jaundice Conditions
Treatment for jaundice in newborns is usually not necessary. Symptoms usually resolve within 10 to 14 days, although occasionally they may persist longer.
Special treatment is usually only recommended if tests show very high levels of bilirubin in the baby’s blood.
This is because there is a small risk that bilirubin can enter the brain and cause brain damage .
NHSwriting, there are 2 main treatments that can be done in the hospital to quickly lower your baby’s bilirubin levels, namely:
- Phototherapy – A special type of light is shone on the skin, which changes bilirubin into a form that is more easily broken down by the liver.
- Exchange transfusion – Where your baby’s blood is removed using a thin tube (catheter) placed in their vein and replaced with blood from a matched donor; most babies respond well to the treatment and can leave hospital after a few days.
Can It Be Prevented?
So, can jaundice in newborns be prevented?
There is no real way to prevent jaundice in newborns. During pregnancy, you can have a blood type test.
After birth, your baby’s blood type will be tested, if necessary, to rule out blood type incompatibilities that can cause jaundice in newborns. If your baby has jaundice, there are several ways to prevent it from getting worse, including by taking the following steps:
- Make sure your baby gets enough nutrition through breast milk . Feeding your baby 8 to 12 times a day for the first few days ensures your baby doesn’t get dehydrated, which helps the bilirubin pass through their body more quickly.
- If you are not breastfeeding, give your baby 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 to 3 hours for the first week. Premature or younger babies may take in smaller amounts of formula, as do babies who are also breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned that your baby is taking in too little or too much formula, or if they are not waking up to feed at least 8 times per 24 hours.
- Monitor your baby carefully during the first five days of life for symptoms of jaundice, such as yellowing of the skin and eyes.
If you notice that your baby has symptoms of jaundice or neonatal jaundice, contact your doctor immediately, okay?Parents.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
