Patient's question:
The child was born via cesarean section on September 28th. On the 30th, it was found that the baby had a jaundice index of 12.5, and has been undergoing phototherapy treatment in the pediatric department of the hospital until today. Now, the baby's jaundice index is still 11. The doctor's examination results indicate that the jaundice is caused by hemolysis. Could the child be discharged today? The mother is type O blood, and the father is type A blood.Doctor's answer:
The doctor suspects that your child has ABO hemolytic disease. If the mother's blood type is O, then your child's blood type is either A or B. Infants with ABO hemolytic disease primarily exhibit jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, and anemia. The clinical symptoms of ABO hemolytic disease vary greatly in severity. Mild cases are often similar to physiological jaundice in newborns, while severe cases may have obvious symptoms. After birth, it is crucial to closely monitor the recurrence of jaundice, which typically appears on the 2nd to 3rd day. In severe cases, jaundice may recur within 24 hours. Attention should also be paid to the rate at which jaundice fades. If the bilirubin concentration is too high and not treated promptly, it can lead to bilirubin encephalopathy, which may later affect intelligence. Therefore, early treatment of ABO hemolytic disease is essential.