Patient's question:
Female, 1 month illness/symptoms: Jaundice hasn't subsided after 8 days, is that normal? Description of condition: My baby has jaundice for 8 days today and it hasn't subsided yet. How can it be resolved?Doctor's answer:
It's normal! Jaundice usually appears 2-3 days after birth and gradually deepens. It reaches its peak on the 4-6th day and then gradually subsides. Full-term newborns typically recover from jaundice within 2 weeks after birth, while premature infants usually recover within 3 weeks.When a child with jaundice is otherwise doing well—maintaining normal body temperature, appetite, urine and stool color, and normal growth and development—their condition is not a cause for concern. If a blood test shows serum bilirubin levels to be more than 2 mg/dL above normal but less than 12 mg/dL, this is also not a serious issue. It will usually disappear within a couple of days.