Patient's question:
My child is 42 days old. They are eating and sleeping normally. There is just slight jaundice on their face, but no signs on their limbs or torso. They were seen by a doctor at the hospital three weeks ago, who said everything was fine. Now at 42 days, there is still jaundice on the face. Is this normal? Should they go back to the hospital for further examination?Doctor's answer:
Newborns have special physiological phenomena. After birth, they may develop jaundice, which is called physiological jaundice. If jaundice occurs in older children and adults, it is abnormal. Full-term newborns usually develop jaundice 2 to 3 days after birth. At this time, the skin appears light yellow. The sclera (white part of the eye) is mainly blue and pale yellow. The urine is slightly yellow but not the diaper. The child feels no discomfort. By the 4th day, jaundice is most noticeable, and it usually disappears about 1 week later. Note that jaundice must be observed under natural light. If the room is dark or well-lit, parents should promptly observe this phenomenon. The blood bilirubin level in physiological jaundice is typically 2 to 12 milligrams per deciliter.