Jaundice

Jaundice” describes the condition of the skin and whites of the eyes that has a yellow color. It is not a disease in itself. It usually is a sign that the liver is not working well. Every few months our bodies produce new red blood cells. The old blood cells are broken down and recycled. When the liver can’t work fast enough to recycle the old red blood cells, the skin and whites of the eyes become yellow.

Normal healthy newborn babies, especially premature babies, often develop mild jaundice, called “physiologic” or “normal” jaundice, at a few days of age. Most of the time this goes away by itself, as the baby’s liver becomes more efficient.

Mild jaundice may make the baby sleepy and not interested in feeding. This can make it harder to get started with breast-feeding. Remember that a baby with jaundice needs plenty of fluids to help his liver work better.

Sometimes a baby with jaundice may have a more serious condition and will need treatment. Your healthcare provider will check a sample of the baby’s blood for a substance called bilirubin. Bilirubin comes from broken down blood cells and is normally cleared from the body by the liver. The amount of bilirubin in your baby’s blood will help your healthcare provider decide if the baby needs treatment or not.

Treatment for jaundice begins with “phototherapy”, or treatment with light. Exposure to cool blue light helps the liver break down bilirubin. To get phototherapy, the baby will be completely undressed, so that the light will shine on all of his skin. His eyes will be covered to protect them. A light stand will be positioned over his crib. Light therapy may last for two or three days. During that time, you can take the baby out of the crib and uncover his eyes at feeding times. This may be upsetting, that you can’t pick the baby up when you wish. Ask the hospital staff if the baby’s crib and the light stand can be in your room, so you can be close to the baby.

If you notice that your baby’s skin or the whites of his eyes look yellow, contact your healthcare provider. Jaundice usually will appear first on the face, then on the chest and abdomen, and finally on the legs. Be ready to describe the areas of the baby’s body that look yellow, as well as how the baby is behaving. A simple blood test can let you know if your baby’s jaundice needs treatment or no