Patient's question:
My child has only been born for seven days. On the fifth day, their jaundice level was 400. They were under blue light for two days. This morning, it was 290. What should I do? Do I need to continue with blue light treatment? What is the bilirubin level of my child?Doctor's answer:
Neonatal jaundice refers to the condition during the neonatal period where abnormal bilirubin metabolism leads to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood. The occurrence of jaundice in the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera is the most common clinical issue in newborns. This condition can be divided into two major categories: physiological and pathological. Pathological jaundice must be treated with blue light exposure. Generally, one or two sessions of light exposure lasting 2 to 48 hours (usually not exceeding 4 days) are used. Continuous or intermittent exposure can be stopped until the bilirubin level drops below 7 mg/mL.