Patient's question:
My child has been born for about three or four days. Recently, I've noticed that both their hands and feet have started to turn yellow, so I'm worried it might be due to jaundice. Does newborn jaundice cause the hands and feet to turn yellow?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, resulting in the yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera. It is the most common clinical issue in newborns. This condition can be categorized into two major types: physiological and pathological. A light yellow discoloration is limited to the face and neck, or it may affect the torso. The yellowing of the sclera can subside within 2-3 days, and the skin color typically returns to normal within 5-6 days. In severe cases, jaundice may first spread to the entire body before affecting the head.