Neonatal jaundice only happens to new-borns. Since their liver has not developed completely yet, bilirubin can be hard for babies to process. This means that new-borns can experience the symptoms of jaundice for the first few days after birth. This is a common condition, and most of the time, there is no underlying disease that is causing the new-borns symptoms.
The symptoms of this condition in infants are:
The cause of neonatal jaundice is excess bilirubin in the blood. New-borns can suffer from this condition because they do not have a fully developed liver. Jaundice in new-borns is actually quite common and typically resolves without treatment.
However, there can be underlying causes for jaundice in infants that do require treatment. New-borns can have internal bleeding, sepsis, viral or bacterial infections, or liver malfunctions that cause jaundice. In some cases, an incompatibility between the mother’s blood and the new-born’s blood can lead to jaundice. Babies can also have biliary atresia which happens when the bile ducts are blocked or scarred. Enzyme deficiencies and red blood cell disorders can also cause this condition.
The risk factors for neonatal jaundice are:
New-borns are often diagnosed with this condition due to the yellowing of the skin and eyes. Blood tests can be done to verify that this condition is present, but often this step is not needed. If there are other symptoms of underlying conditions that might be causing jaundice, your new-born might need more extensive testing to confirm a diagnosis.
Prevention of this condition in infants is not always possible. Formula-fed infants will be less likely to suffer from this problem than breastfed infants, so supplementation with formula when feeding babies can help prevent this problem. Having an adequate feeding protocol for your child can help to prevent this complication during the first weeks of their life.
Treatment for neonatal jaundice requires a combination of actions. In cases where there is no serious underlying condition that needs to be treated, new-borns can be given enhanced nutrition and light therapy. New-borns with jaundice can also be given intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) to help treat issues with differences between the new-borns and mother’s blood type. In rare cases, exchange transfusion needs to be done to help dilute the blood and provide the necessary maternal antibodies for new-born health.