Newborn Jaundice: How Serious Cases Are Treated

Jaundice in newborns is actually quite common. Many newborns develop a mild form of jaundice which usually lasts only a few days. In fact, you may have notice a slight yellow color in your own newborn. But what if your baby has a more serious case of jaundice?

Jaundice in infants is caused by the liver not being able to remove the old red blood cells quickly enough. Usually as the liver matures, the jaundice disappears in a couple of weeks without any form of treatment. However, more serious cases require treatment. And the most common treatment is phototherapy.

Phototherapy consists of placing the baby under lights. Some lights are a special type, called "blue lights" while other doctors prefer to use white fluorescent lights. These lights help the body turn the dangerous bilirubin into a product called lumirubin. Lumirubin is easier removed from the body. The length of time spent under the lights is dependent upon how fast the bilirubin is absorbed by the light.

I was introduced to jaundice in 1972 when my daughter was born. Hours after her birth, the doctor informed me that she had jaundice. I was eighteen years old and I had no idea what jaundice was. The doctor tried to explain it to me, but I didn't really understand it. He informed me they were placing her "under lights" to help get the levels of bilirubin down. I was scared, but he assured me she would be fine.

When I went down to the nursery to visit her, the sight of her small body underneath the bright lights was frightening. They had wrapped a bandage around her head. Startled, I asked why her head was bandaged. The nurse informed me it was to protect her eyes from the light.

The doctor kept my daughter and me in the hospital for three days. When he came in to release me, he informed me that her jaundice was not improving. He had called a hospital in a neighboring state and they were expecting her. He released her and my husband, my mother, and I drove with her to the other hospital.

She was admitted to the hospital and the doctor came to talk to us. He said her bilirubin level was extremely high and they had to get it down. He explained that if they could not lower it quickly, she could start having seizures. He then explained to us what he planned to do. Several hours later, he did a blood transfusion on her. They exchanged her blood with donor blood through her tiny heel.

My daughter's jaundice was indeed very serious. Luckily, we did get her to a hospital and a great doctor who wasted no time doing what he needed to do. She spent several more days in the hospital and then was released. She did not have any other problems.

Eight years later, my son was born. He, too, developed jaundice. However, his was much milder than his sister's. He was placed under lights and within a day, his bilirubin level had lowered to an acceptable level.

Jaundice can be serious. It needs to be treated as soon as it appears. So even if you have already taken your baby home, pay attention to his or her color. If you notice any yellowing of the skin or eyes, call your doctor immediately.

Credits: article-Newborn Babies-Jaundice @ www.rwjuh.edu/