Jaundice is a common problem in newborn babies. Jaundice in New Born Baby is a condition in which the skin and the white part of the eyes turn yellow. Jaundice in new born baby is very different from jaundice in adults. Dr. Shashidhar Vishwanath, Principal Consultant, Neonatology and Pediatrics, Sparsh Hospital for Women and Children has told that the causes and treatment of jaundice in children and adults are very different.
According to experts, about 80 percent of babies are born prematurely, and more than 60 percent of babies have jaundice. Of these, 10 per cent require ‘phototherapy’. Phototherapy is a technique in which a child is treated with special lights.
What causes jaundice in newborns? Jaundice in children is caused by an excess of bilirubin. According to Dr Vishwanath, all babies are born with more red blood cells than adults. These red blood cells break down after birth, causing bilirubin to accumulate in the blood. The liver starts removing bilirubin from the blood. The immature liver of infants fails to remove bilirubin from the bloodstream, causing jaundice in babies.
Effect of jaundice on baby: Jaundice can make the baby tired, sleepy and lethargic. He does not like to drink mother’s milk, which can cause dehydration in his body. In severe cases, the child may have seizures and may even die.
Which children are at risk of jaundice: In premature babies, severe infections, babies born to a diabetic mother are at increased risk of jaundice.
prevention and care
Evaluate the child before discharge in the hospital: If the child has jaundice, get him examined by a pediatrician. With this, the exact amount of bilirubin in the body can be detected. Bilirubin can be measured with some medical instruments. After understanding the serious condition of jaundice, the doctor will give you the necessary advice that how the child can be saved from this problem.
Examine the child closely: In the first two weeks, it is important to closely examine the babies. Signs of weight gain and normal activity due to jaundice need to be closely assessed.
Go to the hospital immediately if you notice symptoms: Parents should take immediate action if the signs of jaundice are seen in the child’s body. Take the child to the hospital. Provide feeding support and phototherapy to the baby.
Get the child tested: To check the condition of jaundice in the baby, Coombs test can be done which checks for antibodies in the body. With this, dead red cells can be detected.