Why are baby's eyes yellow?

Babies are the focus of attention in the family and are also the ones who need the most physical care. If something happens to a baby, the whole family will be worried. One such situation is when a baby's eyes turn yellow. Many parents don't understand the situation very well and become anxious. So, what is going on when the baby's eyes turn yellow?

It could be jaundice in a child.

1. Physiological jaundice: In mild cases, jaundice first appears on the face and neck, and then spreads to the trunk and limbs. It is generally slightly yellow, and the sclera may be slightly yellow, but the palms and soles of the feet are not yellow. It disappears after 2 to 3 days, and the skin color returns to normal on the 5th to 6th day. In severe cases, jaundice first appears on the head and then on the feet, and spreads to the whole body. Vomitus and cerebrospinal fluid may also turn yellow, which may last for more than 1 week, especially for some premature infants, which may last until the 4th week. The color of urine and feces is normal, and there is no bilirubin in the urine. Very light or grayish-white stool and dark urine indicate neonatal hepatitis or biliary atresia.

2. The color of jaundice is light pink in mild cases and darker in severe cases, but the skin is rosy with red in yellow.

3. Jaundice is mostly found on the face, neck, sclera, trunk and proximal limbs, usually not exceeding the elbows and knees.

4. Newborns with physiological jaundice are generally in good condition, have no anemia, no hepatosplenomegaly, normal liver function, and do not develop kernicterus.

5. Physiological jaundice is more common in premature infants than in full-term infants, and may appear slightly later by 1 to 2 days. The jaundice is more severe and disappears later, which may last up to 2 to 4 weeks.

6. Pathological jaundice often appears within 24 hours after birth and lasts for more than 2 weeks, and more than 3 weeks in premature infants; jaundice disappears and reappears after birth and progressively worsens. Severe jaundice may be accompanied by kernicterus. In addition, due to different causes, there are often accompanying symptoms of the primary disease that causes jaundice.

Western medicine

1. Light therapy: The newborn lies naked in a light therapy box, with both eyes and testicles covered with black cloth. It is irradiated with single or double light for 24-48 hours. The treatment can be stopped when the bilirubin drops below 7 mg/L.

2. Enzyme inducers: Phenobarbital is commonly used to induce liver cell microsomes to increase activity and convert unconjugated bilirubin into conjugated bilirubin. The dosage is 4-8 mg/kg/day for 4 days or longer, but its effect is slow and the therapeutic effect is not apparent until 3-7 days. Niclosamide (Coramine) 100 mg/kg/day can be added to improve the efficacy of phenobarbital. However, if jaundice is severe, phototherapy and further examination should be performed to prevent pathological jaundice.

3. Prevent the reabsorption of intestinal bilirubin: Feeding in advance, establishing intestinal flora in time, decomposing intestinal bilirubin into urobilinogen, and excreting meconium as soon as possible can reduce intestinal bilirubin and prevent its reabsorption, thereby reducing the degree of jaundice. Some people give 0.75g of activated carbon once every 4 hours to reduce the reabsorption of unconjugated bilirubin by the intestinal wall (enterohepatic circulation), and the effect is better when combined with phototherapy.

4. Exchange blood therapy: suitable for hemolytic jaundice. It is an important measure to save lives when children suffer from severe hemolysis. Blood exchange can replace sensitized red blood cells and immune antibodies in the serum, preventing further hemolysis; lowering bilirubin and preventing kernicterus; correcting anemia caused by hemolysis and preventing hypoxia and heart failure. With the widespread use of phototherapy, exchange transfusions have been greatly reduced.

5. Albumin: Infusion of plasma or albumin can make the free unconjugated bilirubin in the serum attach to albumin, thereby reducing the chance of unconjugated bilirubin binding to brain cells and reducing the incidence of kernicterus. 1 to 2 hours before blood transfusion, inject 1 g/kg/time of albumin for 2 to 4 times, or use 25 ml of plasma 1 to 2 times a day to exchange more bilirubin.

6. Adrenal cortex hormone: Its main function is to activate the liver cell enzyme system and enhance the ability of glucuronic acid to combine with bilirubin. Generally, oral prednisone is 1 to 2 mg/kg per day. For cases of more severe jaundice, hydrocortisone 5-10 mg/kg can be given intravenously, or dexamethasone 0.4 mg/kg per day can be used. When the jaundice subsides, the dosage can be reduced or even stopped. Because corticosteroids often have adverse side effects, they are generally not used as routine treatment. With the widespread use of phototherapy, hormone therapy is no longer needed.

7. Tin-protoporphyrin: It is an inhibitor of heme oxygenase, which can prevent the decomposition of hemoglobin and thus reduce the formation of bilirubin. The drug is currently being synthesized artificially and is expected to be used in clinical practice in the future.

I learned that the yellowing of the baby's eyes may be due to jaundice. I would like to remind all parents that if your child has such a condition, you must take your child to the hospital for examination in time, and take timely measures to prevent the aggravation of the disease and treat it, so that the child can recover his health as soon as possible.