Patient's question:
My sister's baby is already one month old. The baby's skin color is abnormal, very yellow, and I suspect it's jaundice. The elders at home say it's jaundice and that using a red cloth can help it go away. Please ask if jaundice in newborns can be treated with a red cloth?Doctor's answer:
Physiological and pathological jaundice are differentiated. If it is physiological, it will resolve on its own. Pathological jaundice requires hospital treatment with light exposure; covering with a red cloth is ineffective.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.
Physiological jaundice generally does not require special treatment, while pathological jaundice needs to be treated with blue light to resolve the yellowing.