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Why does the baby have jaundice?
La jaundice, Also called jaundice, is caused by an abnormally high concentration of bilirubin in the blood. This yellow pigment is in excess because a baby’s liver is not working properly. In normal times, it would indeed quickly eliminate the bilirubin contained in the blood so that it is evacuated via the urine. Dysfunction of the liver can have different causes.
In infants, the liver is simply not fully mature. This results in infant jaundice (physiological jaundice) within a few days of the baby’s birth. This is even more true in premature babies: around 80% of them develop it. It is enough to wait until the liver is fully operational for it to disappear. Note that a reaction to breast milk is sometimes also the source of the liver problem. Everything returns to order at the time of weaning.
If the jaundice occurs very early, during the first day after childbirth, it is often an incompatibility of mother / child blood rhs. This is a dangerous problem that should be dealt with immediately.
La jaundice in young children can also be due to a liver disease such as viral hepatitis for example. Other causes, much rarer, can also be observed: liver tumor, hereditary disease (Gilbert’s syndrome) …
Symptoms common to all forms of this disease are yellowish skin and white of the eye. Baby is not in pain unless the jaundice is the result of a viral infection. The baby then has a fever, vomits and feels very tired. He also often has diarrhea and his urine is usually very dark. Better to consult!
How to diagnose jaundice in children?
Le jaundice diagnosis in itself does not present any difficulty: the yellow coloring is quite telling! The doctor therefore focuses on looking for the underlying cause. It takes into account the baby’s age and any accompanying symptoms: fever, diarrhea, large liver on palpation, etc. As a rule, this is sufficient to distinguish a simple infant jaundice viral infection. If the doctor suspects a serious infection (eg: hepatitis B), he may order an additional blood test to confirm the presence of a virus. An abdominal ultrasound can be done to detect a tumor.
Finally, if the disorder is very severe and persists, a blood bilirubin level test may be done. If it is too high, it will be necessary to follow a specific treatment. Too much bilirubin can indeed damage the brain. We are talking aboutkernicterus.
How to treat baby jaundice?
In the vast majority of cases, there is nothing to be done: baby jaundice passes by itself in less than 10 days. In short, you just need to be patient, especially since the baby is not in pain! Maternities often practice light therapy: placing the infant under a blue lamp is radical!
In other cases, it all depends on the cause of the jaundice : antiviral treatment in the event of severe infection, surgical removal of the tumor, etc. In the particular context of blood incompatibility, it is customary to “change” the baby’s blood entirely using a special machine. Finally, if it is urgent to lower the level of bilirubin in the blood (fear of brain damage) phototherapy is possible. Ultra-violet rays are projected on baby: they destroy bilirubin! This treatment generally requires several sessions. Most of the possible treatments give good results and baby regains health at the same time as a beautiful complexion!