Where does jaundice start to subside?

The jaundice in newborn babies will be more obvious. Parents can see the difference by comparing the skin on the face with the skin on the body. However, as the child grows, the jaundice will quickly disappear. But where does the jaundice start to subside? Normal neonatal jaundice will begin to subside on the face, and under normal circumstances, jaundice will only be present on the face. If jaundice also occurs on the chest, it indicates the possibility of a lesion.

1. Where does jaundice begin to subside?

Neonatal jaundice usually starts to disappear from the face.

Newborns begin to develop jaundice 2-3 days after birth, become most obvious after 4-5 days, and disappear naturally in 7-14 days. The general condition is good without adverse reactions. This is called "physiological jaundice." Because premature infants have more immature liver function, jaundice will appear later, around the 3rd or 4th day, and will last longer. Jaundice in premature infants can last for 14 days or longer.

2. Common symptoms of neonatal jaundice

In mild cases of physiological jaundice, 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 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 may spread from the head to the feet and then to the whole body. Vomitus and cerebrospinal fluid may also turn yellow and may last for more than a week. Especially for some premature infants, it 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.

Jaundice is mostly found on the face, neck, sclera, trunk and proximal limbs, usually not exceeding the elbows and knees. The color of jaundice is light pink in mild cases and darker in severe cases, but the skin is rosy with red in the yellow. Newborns with physiological jaundice are generally in good condition, have no anemia, no hepatosplenomegaly, normal liver function, and no kernicterus.

3. Normal value of neonatal jaundice index

Physiological jaundice is a condition in which the serum bilirubin level of a newborn gradually increases from 17-51 μmol/L (1-3 mg/dl) at birth to 86 μmol/L (5 mg/dl) or above 24 hours after birth. Clinically, jaundice appears without other symptoms and disappears within 1-2 weeks. The serum bilirubin level of physiological jaundice should not exceed 204 μmol/L (12 mg/dl) for full-term infants and 255 μmol/L (15 mg/dl) for premature infants. However, some premature infants with serum bilirubin less than 204μmol/L (12mg/dl) may also develop bilirubin encephalopathy. We should be vigilant about physiological jaundice to prevent misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis of pathological jaundice.