Patient's question:
Baby started showing jaundice on the second day of birth. On the fifth day, the jaundice index measured as high as over 17, and the baby was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Yesterday, the highest jaundice value was 14.5. I would like to ask the doctor, at what level can the baby's jaundice value drop to be discharged from the hospital?Doctor's answer:
Jaundice is a common symptom in newborns, primarily divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice usually appears 2-3 days after birth, peaks on the 4-5th day, and returns to normal within 7-10 days. Pathological jaundice can occur at any time after birth, lasts for a long duration, and poses significant harm. This is because free bilirubin is lipid-soluble and can cross the blood-brain barrier to invade brain tissue, causing bilirubin encephalopathy and causing the basal ganglia of the brain to 'turn yellow'. Infants may exhibit poor appetite, crying, and even convulsions of the limbs. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory failure and death.