Patient's question:
My child started showing some signs of jaundice after birth. I heard that jaundice can often be helped by sun exposure, as the sun can help eliminate it. But it hasn't been sunny for the past couple of days, so I thought of using an electric fan to expose my child to some warmth. Can newborn jaundice be treated with an electric fan?Doctor's answer:
Neonatal jaundice can be divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice refers to transient jaundice caused solely by the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism. It occurs 2-3 days after birth, peaks between 4-6 days, and resolves within 7-10 days. In premature infants, it lasts longer. Except for mild anorexia, there are no other clinical symptoms. Pathological jaundice must be treated with blue light exposure. Electric fans emit infrared radiation and have no therapeutic effect on neonatal jaundice.