The birth of a baby is a joyful experience for parents. However, during the first few weeks of the baby’s life, parents and doctors have to remain vigilant regarding potential health concerns. One such common health concern is neonatal jaundice. Read on to know its causes, symptoms, and treatments from the doctors of a reputed nursing home in South Kolkata.

Causes:

When there is an excess of bilirubin in the blood of the baby, neonatal jaundice occurs. Bilirubin refers to a yellow pigment that is produced due to the breakdown of red blood cells. In newborns, the liver is in the process of development and might not be able to sufficiently eliminate bilirubin. This causes the yellowing of the eyes and skin.

There are two kinds of neonatal jaundice: pathological and physiological. Physiological jaundice appears two to three days after the baby’s birth. It is a normal response of the baby’s immature liver. Pathological jaundice appears within a day of the baby’s birth. It can be indicative of an underlying health problem like a blood type incompatibility between the mother and baby or an infection.

Symptoms:

As we mentioned earlier, one of the primary symptoms of neonatal jaundice is the yellowing of the eyes and skin. This yellowing begins on the face and then spreads to the chest, abdomen, and legs. Though mild jaundice does not cause any kind of discomfort, severe cases result in high-pitched crying, poor feeding, and lethargy in babies. If you notice these symptoms, make sure to consult the top doctors of the best nursing home in South Kolkata. 

Treatments:

• Generally, the condition tends to improve within a few weeks of birth. However, doctors of the best hospital in South Kolkata advise frequent breastfeeding to allow the bilirubin to pass through stool.

• Phototherapy is another common treatment that involves exposing the baby to a specific kind of light to break it down into a form that can be eliminated easily from the body.
• In severe cases, doctors recommend transfusion exchange in which a baby’s blood is replaced with a donor’s blood to reduce bilirubin levels.

We have listed above the causes, symptoms, and treatments of neonatal jaundice. Be aware of these warning signs in your newborn baby and consult the doctors of the best nursing home in South Kolkata if symptoms persist or start worsening.