What are the methods to reduce jaundice in babies?

It is very common for babies to have symptoms of jaundice. There are many reasons that can cause jaundice in babies. What are the main reasons? Let’s learn about some symptoms of jaundice in babies. The symptoms of jaundice in babies are mainly manifested as yellowing of the skin. The degree of yellowing of the skin can measure the severity.

Physiological jaundice

Jaundice that occurs simply due to the characteristics of neonatal bilirubin metabolism, such as excessive bilirubin production, immature liver, and enterohepatic circulation, is clinically called physiological jaundice. Physiological jaundice in full-term infants begins on the 2nd to 3rd day. At this time, the skin is light yellow, the sclera (white of the eye) is mainly blue with a slight yellow tint, the urine is slightly yellow but does not stain the diaper, and the child does not feel any discomfort. The color is the yellowest on the 4th to 5th day and disappears in the 1st to 2nd week. Liver function tests are normal and serum unconjugated bilirubin is increased. Physiological jaundice in premature infants will appear earlier, be higher, and last longer. What are the methods to reduce jaundice in babies?

Pathological jaundice

What are the methods to reduce jaundice in babies? If jaundice appears too early, increases too quickly, or lasts too long, it may be pathological jaundice. The causes include incompatibility of blood types between mother and child (which can be ABO or Rh blood type incompatibility), blood clots, severe infections, hemolysis caused by favism, neonatal hepatitis, biliary atresia, and metabolic diseases. Pathological jaundice should be considered if any of the following conditions are met:

1. Jaundice occurs within 24 hours after birth.

2. The jaundice lasts for more than 2 weeks in full-term infants and more than 3 weeks in premature infants, and/or the jaundice progressively worsens.

3. The jaundice is deeper, and the skin on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands also turns yellow.

4. The skin is yellow-green, the stool becomes lighter or grayish white like putty, and the urine is dark yellow.

5. After physiological jaundice subsides, yellow skin color reappears.

6. During the period of yellowing of the skin, the baby may have abnormal symptoms such as refusing milk, crying less, sleeping more, vomiting, diarrhea, staring, crying loudly and convulsing.

Breast milk jaundice

In breastfed newborns, jaundice may persist for a longer period of time or worsen after physiological jaundice has subsided. The mechanism is not fully understood. If the jaundice is caused by drinking breast milk, the jaundice will subside quickly if breast milk is stopped for 2 to 3 days. Continue breastfeeding after the jaundice has subsided. The jaundice may increase slightly, but there is no need to stop breastfeeding. There is no literature reporting that jaundice caused by breast milk will harm the baby.

How to treat jaundice in babies

1. Physiological jaundice is a physiological phenomenon. The child will not feel any discomfort, so there is no need to worry if jaundice is discovered. However, poor feeding, hunger and constipation may aggravate and prolong physiological jaundice.

2. Combined inflammation and other diseases may also aggravate or prolong physiological jaundice. Care should be taken to observe whether the child has signs of disease, such as fever, vomiting, mental depression, etc.

3. Be mentally prepared when breastfeeding, as your baby may suffer from jaundice for a longer period of time. If you are really worried about the jaundice being too high, you can stop breastfeeding for 2 to 3 days. The jaundice will subside quickly and you can continue breastfeeding afterwards.

4. When pathological jaundice is suspected, the child should be sent to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time.

What are the methods to reduce jaundice in infants? If infants want to reduce jaundice, it must be done as soon as possible and cannot be delayed, otherwise the jaundice will continue to worsen. Therefore, parents should take their children to the hospital for treatment in time. After the treatment, they should also pay attention to the prevention of jaundice symptoms, pay attention to the child’s daily diet, and pay attention to the child’s life care and family care.