Patient's question:
My little girl was born on May 22, 2005, at 22:23. Three days later, when she was discharged from the hospital, it was discovered that her jaundice index was too high: 15. She was immediately put under blue light for four days, after which it was measured at: 13. On the fifth day, she was put under blue light again, with each session lasting: 8 hours.Two days after discharge, my little girl's skin was still yellow and even more pronounced. However, she was always breastfeeding, in good spirits, having normal bowel movements (golden in color), not crying, and sleeping well—usually falling asleep after eating without any abnormalities. So a few more days passed, which was the seventeenth day of my little girl's life. Seeing that she was becoming increasingly yellow, we took her to the hospital, where the measurement was: 24. The doctor required her to be hospitalized, and she was admitted the same day.
Doctor's answer:
Hello, Physiological Jaundice: Physiological jaundice is very common in newborns. Statistics indicate that the incidence of jaundice in full-term infants can be as high as 50%. Generally, physiological jaundice occurs only between the 2nd and 4th day after birth, and the concentration and rise in bilirubin levels do not exceed a certain range. Pathological Jaundice: Any jaundice that appears within 24 hours after birth is abnormal. The causes include hemolysis caused by incompatibility between the mother and baby's blood types (e.g., the mother is type O blood, and the baby is type A or B), abnormalities in red blood cell structure or enzymes, infectious diseases, etc. If jaundice persists (within 7 to 10 days after birth), doctors need to consider other possibilities, such as hypothyroidism, biliary atresia, congenital metabolic diseases (e.g., galactosemia), etc. Breast Milk Jaundice: Breastfeeding can also cause jaundice in newborns, but most cases do not lead to excessive accumulation of bilirubin and do not pose a problem for the infant. Breast milk jaundice usually gradually appears after the 4th day and lasts for about 1 to 2 weeks. However, before making this diagnosis, doctors must first rule out the possibility of other diseases. Kernicterus: Kernicterus itself is not a type of jaundice but rather the potential impact on newborns caused by the accumulation of extremely high concentrations of bilirubin in the blood. In severe cases, it can lead to permanent disabilities such as cerebral palsy, deafness, and intellectual disability. The specific type can be determined based on symptoms, and it is advisable to seek active treatment in a timely manner to avoid kernicterus.