Light therapy for jaundice – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Jaundice is a condition that happens in some newborn babies. It makes the skin and eyes look yellow. It happens when your baby’s liver cannot yet break down a yellow substance called bilirubin (BILL-uh-roo-bin).

The treatment for jaundice is a light that helps the bilirubin break down. Your baby might lie under the light or be wrapped in a blanket that shines light on the skin. A nurse can show you how to use the light or blanket correctly. Call your child’s doctor or nurse if you have any questions.

How does light therapy for jaundice work?

Your child might have light therapy in the hospital, or you might do it at home. A doctor needs to prescribe light therapy, including how it is given.

Using an overhead light

1. Undress your child, but leave their diaper on. Your child also needs to wear eye patches during light therapy.
2. Make sure the light is the correct distance away from your child. Read the instructions and call if you have any questions.
3. Adjust the temperature in the room to keep your child warm, if the light does not give off heat. Some do, and some do not. It is important to keep your child from getting too cold or too hot.
4. Measure how much light your child is getting during treatment. The light usually has a way to measure this or a screen that tells you. It is important to make sure your child is getting the right amount of light, but not too much. Measure every 8 hours or if you change the position of the light.

Protecting your child’s eyes during light therapy

Make sure your child’s eyes are closed before you put on the eye patches. If your child needs light therapy for more than 4 hours a day, take the patches off for 5 or 10 minutes every 4 hours. Check to make sure your child’s eyes do not look red or irritated, or have fluid or mucus coming from them. If they do, call your doctor’s office.

You can also take the patches off just to make eye contact with your baby. This helps you bond with your child.

Using a blanket

Your child might have light therapy with a blanket that shines light on the skin. You might hear this called a fiberoptic blanket or “bili blanket.” The blanket goes inside a cover or vest. You can wrap the blanket around your child or lay them on it. Follow these steps:

1. Put the blanket into the cover or vest so the clear side of the blanket is underneath the soft side of the cover. Your child will lie on the soft side, with the light shining on them through the cover or vest.
2. Plug in the cable securely. This end of the blanket should go at your child’s feet.
3. Lay the covered blanket on your child’s crib mattress or other flat surface. Place your baby on the blanket, with the tip of the blanket at their shoulders.
4. Your child can wear diapers. They can also wear clothes over some types of blanket. Please call with any questions about what your child can wear.
5. Put eye patches on your child if they are lying on their stomach, facing downward toward the blanket. They do not need eye patches if they are lying on their back, facing away from the blanket.

The blanket has a control that shows how bright the light is. Adjust this before you start your child’s light session. The biggest dot shows the highest setting, and the smaller dots are for less intense light.

Measure how much light your child is getting during treatment. The light usually has a way to measure this or a screen that tells you. Your nurse will show you where to find it. It’s important to make sure your child is getting the right amount of light, but not too much. Measure every 8 hours or as often as the nurse tells you.

Questions?

Ask your child’s doctor or nurse if you have questions about light therapy for jaundice. We are always happy to help.

Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia) | HealthLink BC

Topic Overview

What is jaundice in newborns?

Jaundice is a yellow tint to a newborn’s skin and the white part of the eyes. It is a sign that there’s too much bilirubin in the baby’s blood. The word for having too much bilirubin in the blood is hyperbilirubinemia (say “hy-per-bil-ih-roo-bih-NEE-mee-uh”).

Jaundice usually appears in the first 5 days of life. Babies born in Canada are routinely checked for jaundice within 72 hours after birth. If your baby is at risk for jaundice, your doctor may want to do a follow-up examination.

Most babies have mild jaundice. It usually gets better or goes away on its own within a week or two without causing problems. But jaundice should be taken seriously. In rare cases, if the bilirubin level stays high and isn’t treated, it can cause brain damage called kernicterus. This can lead to serious lifelong problems.

What causes jaundice in newborns?

Jaundice occurs because your baby’s body has more bilirubin than it can get rid of. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that’s made when the body breaks down old red blood cells. It leaves the body through urine and stool. When you’re pregnant, your body removes bilirubin from your baby through the placenta. After birth, your baby’s body must get rid of the bilirubin on its own.

In most cases, babies have what’s called physiologic jaundice. It occurs because their organs aren’t yet able to get rid of excess bilirubin very well. This type of jaundice usually appears about 24 hours after birth. It gets worse until the third or fourth day, and then it goes away in about a week.

In rare cases, jaundice may be caused by other things, such as an infection, a problem with the baby’s digestive system, or a problem with the mom’s and baby’s blood types (Rh incompatibility). Your baby may have one of these problems if jaundice appears less than a day after birth.

What are the symptoms?

If a newborn has jaundice, his or her skin and the white part of the eyes will look yellow. The yellow colour shows up first in the baby’s face and chest, usually 1 to 5 days after birth.

A baby whose bilirubin level is high may:

• Get more yellow.
• Be sluggish and not suck well.
• Be cranky or jittery.
• Arch his or her back.
• Have a high-pitched cry.

A high bilirubin level can be dangerous. Make sure to call a doctor right away if your baby has any of these symptoms.

How is jaundice in newborns diagnosed?

Your baby’s doctor will do a physical examination and ask you questions about your health and your baby’s health. For example, the doctor might ask if you and your baby have different blood types.

The doctor may place a device against your baby’s skin to check your baby’s bilirubin level. A blood test for bilirubin may be done to find out if your baby needs treatment.

More tests may be needed if the doctor thinks that a health problem is causing too much bilirubin in the blood.

How is it treated?

Your baby will need treatment if the bilirubin level is above the normal range for newborns. He or she will be put under a special light to treat the jaundice. This is called phototherapy. The skin absorbs the light, which changes the bilirubin so that the body can more easily get rid of it. The treatment is usually done in a hospital. But babies sometimes are treated at home.

Don’t try to treat jaundice by placing your baby in the sun or near a window. Special lights and controlled surroundings are always needed to treat jaundice safely.

If a health problem caused the jaundice, your baby may need other treatment. For example, a baby with severe jaundice caused by Rh incompatibility may need a blood transfusion.

How can you help your baby?

If your baby has jaundice, you have an important role to play.

• Look closely at your baby’s skin 2 times a day to make sure that the colour is returning to normal. If your baby has dark skin, look at the white part of the eyes.
• Take your baby for any follow-up testing your doctor recommends.
• Call your doctor if the yellow colour gets brighter after your baby is 3 days old.

The best thing you can do to reduce jaundice is to make sure that your baby gets enough to eat. That will help your baby’s body get rid of the extra bilirubin.

• If you are breastfeeding, feed your baby about 8 to 12 times every 24 hours.
• If you are feeding your baby from a bottle, stay on your schedule (usually about 6 to 10 feedings every 24 hours).

If you aren’t sure that your baby is getting enough milk, ask your doctor, a nurse, or a lactation consultant for help.

Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia) | Michigan Medicine

Topic Overview

What is jaundice in newborns?

Jaundice is a yellow tint to a newborn’s skin and the white part of the eyes. It is a sign that there’s too much bilirubin in the baby’s blood. The word for having too much bilirubin in the blood is hyperbilirubinemia (say “hy-per-bil-ih-roo-bih-NEE-mee-uh”).

Jaundice usually appears in the first 5 days of life. Many babies have left the hospital by the time jaundice starts. So your doctor may want to do a follow-up exam when your baby is 3 to 5 days old.

Most babies have mild jaundice. It usually gets better or goes away on its own within a week or two without causing problems. But jaundice should be taken seriously. In rare cases, if the bilirubin level stays high and isn’t treated, it can cause brain damage called kernicterus. This can lead to serious lifelong problems.

What causes jaundice in newborns?

Jaundice occurs because your baby’s body has more bilirubin than it can get rid of. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that’s made when the body breaks down old red blood cells. It leaves the body through urine and stool. When you’re pregnant, your body removes bilirubin from your baby through the placenta. After birth, your baby’s body must get rid of the bilirubin on its own.

In most cases, babies have what’s called physiologic jaundice. It occurs because their organs aren’t yet able to get rid of excess bilirubin very well. This type of jaundice usually appears about 24 hours after birth. It gets worse until the third or fourth day, and then it goes away in about a week.

In rare cases, jaundice may be caused by other things, such as an infection, a problem with the baby’s digestive system, or a problem with the mom’s and baby’s blood types (Rh incompatibility). Your baby may have one of these problems if jaundice appears less than a day after birth.

What are the symptoms?

If a newborn has jaundice, his or her skin and the white part of the eyes will look yellow. The yellow color shows up first in the baby’s face and chest, usually 1 to 5 days after birth.

A baby whose bilirubin level is high may:

• Get more yellow.
• Be sluggish and not suck well.
• Be cranky or jittery.
• Arch his or her back.
• Have a high-pitched cry.

A high bilirubin level can be dangerous. Make sure to call a doctor right away if your baby has any of these symptoms.

How is jaundice in newborns diagnosed?

Your baby’s doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your health and your baby’s health. For example, the doctor might ask if you and your baby have different blood types.

The doctor may place a device against your baby’s skin to check your baby’s bilirubin level. A blood test for bilirubin may be done to find out if your baby needs treatment.

More tests may be needed if the doctor thinks that a health problem is causing too much bilirubin in the blood.

How is it treated?

Your baby will need treatment if the bilirubin level is above the normal range for newborns. He or she will be put under a special light to treat the jaundice. This is called phototherapy. The skin absorbs the light, which changes the bilirubin so that the body can more easily get rid of it. The treatment is usually done in a hospital. But babies sometimes are treated at home.

Don’t try to treat jaundice by placing your baby in the sun or near a window. Special lights and controlled surroundings are always needed to treat jaundice safely.

If a health problem caused the jaundice, your baby may need other treatment. For example, a baby with severe jaundice caused by Rh incompatibility may need a blood transfusion.

How can you help your baby?

If your baby has jaundice, you have an important role to play.

• Look closely at your baby’s skin 2 times a day to make sure that the color is returning to normal. If your baby has dark skin, look at the white part of the eyes.
• Take your baby for any follow-up testing your doctor recommends.
• Call the doctor if the yellow color gets brighter after your baby is 3 days old.

The best thing you can do to reduce jaundice is to make sure that your baby gets enough to eat. That will help your baby’s body get rid of the extra bilirubin.

• If you are breastfeeding, feed your baby about 8 to 12 times every 24 hours.
• If you are feeding your baby from a bottle, stay on your schedule (usually about 6 to 10 feedings every 24 hours).

If you aren’t sure that your baby is getting enough milk, ask your doctor, a nurse, or a lactation consultant for help.

Helping newborns with jaundice to go home earlier

Posted on Tuesday 2nd April 2019

Freya with the biliblanket and her twin sister, Megan.

Thanks to a successful pilot study at Evelina London, newborn babies who are affected by jaundice could soon be treated at home with a special light-up blanket.

Between May 2017 and May 2018, 10 babies with jaundice were discharged with a portable phototherapy device, called a biliblanket. Our team found that the device was safe, cost effective and welcomed by parents who were able to bond with their newborns in the comfort of their own home.

Jaundice is a common condition that causes yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, affecting around 60% of newborns and 80% of babies born prematurely. It is caused by the build-up of bilirubin in the blood, a yellow substance produced when red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body, are broken down. Babies with very high levels of bilirubin risk developing permanent brain damage if they are not treated.

Dr Gosia Radomska, neonatal associate specialist at Evelina London, explains: “One of the most common ways to treat jaundice is with phototherapy, which involves placing the baby under a therapeutic blue light in an incubator.

“We have found that babies who are strong, growing and are otherwise healthy are suitable for home phototherapy treatment. This means families can stay together and go home sooner, while freeing up beds and cots in the hospital.”

Zoe Wingfield, 41, gave birth to her twin daughters Freya and Megan six weeks early in May 2017. Although both girls received phototherapy treatment for jaundice at the hospital, Freya required treatment for longer, so she was one of the first newborns to be offered a biliblanket.

Zoe, from Battersea in London, said: “I had been in hospital for over a week before the girls arrived and then a further week once they were born so it felt like I had been there forever.

“We couldn’t wait to get home and settle our babies, so being able to take them together made a huge difference. The support we received was amazing and we felt confident treating Freya at home because we had used the biliblanket on the ward with Megan.

“I look back at photos and it’s hard to believe they needed any extra help because you wouldn’t know now that they were premature.”

The treatment is now being used routinely by the maternity team at St Thomas’ Hospital, which is co-located with Evelina London. Babies are considered for home treatment if they have been receiving phototherapy on the postnatal ward for at least 48 hours, have stable or falling bilirubin levels and are able to feed. Parents are trained to use the biliblanket and an outreach nurse from the neonatal unit visits them daily to test the baby’s bilirubin levels.

Dr Radomska said: “Home phototherapy treatment is not routine in the UK, but it could benefit more babies across the country if other hospitals considered treating babies in this way, with the right training and safety measures in place for parents. The outreach nurses are also absolutely key to making this a success.”

Our team is due to present the study results to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health conference in May. They have already presented data to the British Association of Perinatal Medicine in September 2018 and at a conference in Paris.

Our Evelina 150 Stories

This article is part of a series of Evelina 150 Stories that we are sharing in celebration of our special 150th anniversary year.

150 years ago, Evelina London was born out of love, when Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild founded the hospital in memory of his wife, Evelina. Since 1869, we’ve been saving lives, improving health and inspiring better futures.

Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What is jaundice?

Jaundice is a condition in which the skin, sclera (whites of the eyes) and mucous membranes turn yellow. This yellow color is caused by a high level of bilirubin, a yellow-orange bile pigment. Bile is fluid secreted by the liver. Bilirubin is formed from the breakdown of red blood cells.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes jaundice?

Jaundice can be caused by a problem in any of the three phases in bilirubin production.

Before the production of bilirubin, you may have what’s called unconjugated jaundice due to increased levels of bilirubin caused by:

• Reabsorption of a large hematoma (a collection of clotted or partially clotted blood under the skin).
• Hemolytic anemias (blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream before their normal lifespan is over).

During production of bilirubin, jaundice can be caused by:

• Viruses, including Hepatitis A, chronic Hepatitis B and C, and Epstein-Barr virus infection (infectious mononucleosis).
• Alcohol.
• Autoimmune disorders.
• Rare genetic metabolic defects.
• Medicines, including acetaminophen toxicity, penicillins, oral contraceptives, chlorpromazine (Thorazine®) and estrogenic or anabolic steroids.

After bilirubin is produced, jaundice may be caused by obstruction (blockage) of the bile ducts from:

What are the symptoms of jaundice?

Sometimes, the person may not have symptoms of jaundice, and the condition may be found accidentally. The severity of symptoms depends on the underlying causes and how quickly or slowly the disease develops.

If you have a short-term case of jaundice (usually caused by infection), you may have the following symptoms and signs:

• Fever.
• Chills.
• Abdominal pain.
• Flu-like symptoms.
• Change in skin color.
• Dark-colored urine and/or clay-colored stool.

If jaundice isn’t caused by an infection, you may have symptoms such as weight loss or itchy skin (pruritus). If the jaundice is caused by pancreatic or biliary tract cancers, the most common symptom is abdominal pain. Sometimes, you may have jaundice occurring with liver disease if you have:

• Chronic hepatitis or inflammation of the liver.
• Pyoderma gangrenosum (a type of skin disease).
• Acute hepatitis A, B or C.
• Polyarthralgias (inflammation of the joints).

Diagnosis and Tests

How is jaundice diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose jaundice by checking for signs of liver disease such as:

• Bruising of the skin.
• Spider angiomas (abnormal collection of blood vessels near the surface of the skin).
• Palmar erythema (red coloration of the palms and fingertips).

Urinalysis (urine testing) that’s positive for bilirubin shows that the patient has conjugated jaundice. The findings of urinalysis should be confirmed by serum testing. The serum testing will include a complete blood count (CBC) and bilirubin levels.

Your doctor will also do an exam to determine the size and tenderness of your liver. He or she may use imaging (ultrasonography and computer tomographic (CT) scanning) and liver biopsy (taking a sample of the liver) to further confirm diagnosis.

Management and Treatment

How is jaundice treated?

Jaundice usually doesn’t require treatment in adults (it’s a more severe problem in infants). The causes and complications of jaundice can be treated. For instance, if itching is bothersome, it may be eased by cholestyramine (Questran®).

What are some of the complications/side effects of the treatments of jaundice?

Prevention

Can jaundice be prevented?

Since there are many causes of jaundice, it’s hard to provide specific prevention measures. Some general tips include:

• Avoid hepatitis infection.
• Stay within recommended alcohol limits.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Manage your cholesterol.

What is the risk you’ll develop jaundice?

During the production of bilirubin, middle-aged women and men, in general, are more affected. People who have hepatitis and drink excessive alcohol are also at increased risk.

Jaundice in Adults – Liver and Gallbladder Disorders

Doctors ask when the jaundice started and how long it has been present. They also ask when urine started to look dark (which usually occurs before jaundice develops). People are asked about other symptoms, such as itching, fatigue, changes in stool, and abdominal pain. Doctors are particularly interested in symptoms that suggest a serious cause. For example, sudden loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen, and fever suggest hepatitis, particularly in young people and people with risk factors for hepatitis. Fever and severe, constant pain in the upper right part of the abdomen suggest acute cholangitis (infection of the bile ducts), usually in people with a blockage in a bile duct. Acute cholangitis is considered a medical emergency.

Doctors ask people whether they have had liver disorders, whether they have had surgery that involved the bile ducts, and whether they take any drugs that can cause jaundice (for example, the prescription drugs amoxicillin/clavulanate, chlorpromazine, azathioprine, and oral contraceptives; alcohol; over-the-counter drugs; medicinal herbs; and other herbal products such as teas). Knowing whether family members have also had jaundice or other liver disorders can help doctors identify hereditary liver disorders.

• Working at a day care center

• Living in or working at an institution with long-term residents, such as a mental health care facility, prison, or long-term care facility

• Living in or traveling to an area where hepatitis is widespread

• Participating in anal sex

• Injecting illegal or recreational drugs

• Sharing razor blades or toothbrushes

• Getting a tattoo or body piercing

• Working in a health care facility without being vaccinated against hepatitis

• Having had a blood transfusion before 1992

• Having sex with someone who has hepatitis

• Having been born between 1945 and 1965

During the physical examination, doctors look for signs of serious disorders (such as fever, very low blood pressure, and a rapid heart rate) and for signs that liver function is greatly impaired (such as easy bruising, a rash of tiny dots or splotches, or changes in mental function). They gently press on the abdomen to check for lumps, tenderness, swelling, and other abnormalities, such as an enlarged liver or spleen.

6 Home Remedies for the Effective Management of Jaundice

Jaundice, aka yellow fever, yellows the white of the eyes, the skin and bodily fluids. Mentioned are the home remedies that can help in reducing the symptoms.

• Barley powder helps flush out ama
• Aloe vera juice is rich in antioxidants
• Sugarcane juice daily provides immunity

Jaundice is a medical condition resulting from the rise of excess of the pigment bilirubin that obstructs the bile duct, yellows the skin, the white of the eyes and the bodily fluids. A pitta imbalance impairs the blood and tissues of the liver and blocks the channels of the body. The pitta, in the form of bile, is thrown into the blood again, leading to jaundice.

Here are a few home remedies that help reduce the symptoms of jaundice

• Mix together 1 spoon each of roasted barley powder (jau) and honey. Have this with a glass of water twice a day. It helps flush out the toxins (ama) from the body, reducing the intensity of the condition.
• Make a paste of basil leaves. Add 1 tsp of it in a glass of radish juice. Have this juice twice a day for 15-20 days. It is beneficial for the liver and helps subdue the symptoms of jaundice.
• Take a tsp of Aloe Vera juice with black salt (Kala namak) and dry ginger (Adrak) every morning for about 10 days.
• Extract the juice of bitter gourd. Take ¼ cup of the juice early in the morning daily.
• Drink a glass of sugarcane juice twice a day. It strengthens the liver.
• Boil Indian gooseberry (amla) in a saucepan. Mix the pulp with the remaining water. Add honey once it cools down. Drink it 2-3 times a day. This juice is rich in antioxidants that help enhance liver health.

Apart from these, a diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and nuts is great for those suffering from jaundice. However, these home remedies aside, you should definitely consult a Jiva doctor to find long lasting relief from the condition. Dial 0129-4040404 or click on ‘Speak to a Doctor’ under the CONNECT tab in Jiva Health App.

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Treatment of newborn jaundice in Saransk | medical center KIM

Neonatal jaundice or jaundice is considered normal: about half of babies born at term carry the disease. And in premature babies, the chance of a yellowish skin color is 80%. However, neonatal jaundice can be dangerous, so helping your baby cope with the problem is important.

Causes of jaundice and its symptoms

Initially, jaundice occurs due to an increase in the bilirubin substance in the baby’s blood.It appears during the breakdown of red blood cells, which begins immediately after birth. The liver can ensure the withdrawal of bilirubin, but due to the immaturity of its enzymes in newborns, the baby’s body cannot cope on its own. Excessive accumulation of bilirubin can lead to damage to the brain nuclei and delay in psychomotor development.

Main symptoms of jaundice:

• yellowish skin color;

• severe drowsiness;

• reluctance to suckle while feeding;

• convulsions.

If you observe such manifestations immediately after birth, it is imperative to start treatment.

Phototherapy – a method of successful treatment of jaundice in a newborn

Bilirubin accumulates in the baby’s subcutaneous fat, making it yellowish. To facilitate the removal of this substance, phototherapy is used. During the procedure, the patient is exposed to sunlight or bright light from artificial sources with specific wavelengths.

When the baby’s body is exposed to blue light with a wavelength of 460 nm, bilirubin begins to absorb it. This leads to the fact that the enzyme is converted from fat-soluble to water-soluble, and then excreted in the urine and sweat.

Treatment with phototherapy under specialized lamps is absolutely safe, painless, and does not give side effects. The bottom line is that fluorescent lamps emit only the spectrum of light that is necessary for the transformation of bilirubin and its removal from the baby’s body.No ultraviolet radiation or other harmful radiation gets on the child.

Phototherapy treatment at the KIM clinic

Treatment with phototherapy is often used in maternity hospitals, but it is not always possible to complete the course before discharge. Often the child needs to continue therapy on an outpatient basis. To do this, you can contact the KIM clinic. In our arsenal there are two mobile lamps “Axion” OFTN-420 / 470-02 and “Axion” OFTN-03, thanks to which you can continue to be treated at home.

Advantages of mobile lamps for the treatment of jaundice:

• you can have phototherapy while at home with your mom;

• newborn, which is placed under a lamp, warm and comfortable;

• can quickly complete a 96-hour course of treatment, interrupting therapy only during feeding and hygiene procedures.

We use both the “Axion” OFFTN-03 hammock lamp, in which the child can be placed for a long time without additional protection, and the “Axion” OFFTN-420 / 470-02 floor lamp, which irradiates the baby from above.When using it, it is necessary to use protection for the eyes and genitals with special screens.

How to do phototherapy at home

At the KIM clinic, we can issue a hammock lamp at home for the duration of the treatment of jaundice. It’s very easy to use:

1. The child is placed in a hammock so that the body is above the lamp and the head is outside the translucent fabric.

2. The baby is fixed in a hammock with special cords so that the light does not get into the eyes.

3. The irradiator is connected to the network and is configured (set the time, intensity of irradiation).

4. After the sound signal, the lamp is turned off, the child is taken out of the hammock.

Phototherapy should be performed only after consulting a pediatrician, as there are contraindications for any medical procedure. Our experts will advise you on all issues of interest and show you how to use the lamp.

Observation of children of all ages in the KIM medical center in Saransk

One of the specializations of the KIM Medical Center is examination of newborns, diagnosis, treatment planning. The department for young patients is staffed by experienced doctors who know the specifics of the body of babies. If you see signs of jaundice in your child, please contact us. The doctor will help:

• promptly determine the disease, conduct tests that will show the level of bilirubin;

• leave the therapy plan;

• Find answers to all your questions about your child’s health.

Faced a problem? Not sure what’s wrong with your baby? Call us! We will do our best to make your child grow up healthy and happy!

Related articles:

Why do newborns have increased bilirubin

How to properly reduce bilirubin in a child

Should I continue to breastfeed a newborn with jaundice

Is it possible to cure jaundice in a newborn only by sunbathing

90,000 types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment in children and adults

Published: 26.04.2021 15:20:00 Updated: 26.04.2021 Views: 51 098 90 003

Jaundice is a syndrome in which the skin, mucous membranes and whites of the eyes turn yellow. This is not an independent disease, but only a manifestation of some kind of pathology. The reasons for the development of jaundice can be completely different.

What causes jaundice?

Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood.It can be increased due to many factors: abnormalities in the liver, disturbances in the outflow of bile (bile itself contains bilirubin) from the gallbladder and bile ducts, disturbances in the blood in which too many red blood cells containing bilirubin break down.

Bilirubin is a yellow substance formed by the breakdown of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. When red blood cells die, the liver filters waste products from the bloodstream. But with pathologies (diseases of the liver itself and biliary tract, increased destruction of red blood cells), the liver may not keep up with this process, bilirubin accumulates, and the skin, sclera of the eyes and mucous membranes acquire a yellow color.

Get tested for bilirubin at CITILAB

Types of jaundice

There are several types of jaundice, and the mechanism of damage differs depending on this.

There are three types of jaundice:

1. Suprahepatic (hemolytic) jaundice. Appears when too many red blood cells are degraded. This process is called hemolysis. When too many red blood cells break down at the same time, a large amount of bilirubin is released, which the liver cannot handle.This happens, for example, in hereditary types of anemia, when a person’s erythrocytes (red blood cells) have a special shape and are prone to more rapid destruction.
2. Hepatic (parenchymal) jaundice. This type is associated with liver damage, from which the filtering ability of the organ suffers, and too much bilirubin gets into the blood. This is possible with liver infections, hepatitis, cirrhosis.
3. Subhepatic (mechanical) jaundice. This type of jaundice occurs when the bile ducts that connect the liver, gallbladder, and intestines are blocked.

The bile ducts are a series of tubes that look like blood vessels but are responsible for carrying bile from the liver to the gallbladder. If an obstruction prevents the liver from removing excess bilirubin, serious malfunctions occur in its work, which in turn provoke jaundice. This happens due to stones in the gallbladder, with enlarged lymph nodes or tumors.

Symptoms of jaundice

It is clear from the name of the syndrome what the main symptom is. With jaundice, the whites of the eyes, skin, and other tissues of the human body turn yellow.Interestingly, the shade of yellow suggests a type of jaundice. With hemolytic jaundice, the skin becomes pale and takes on a light yellow, lemon tint. With liver – orange. With obstructive jaundice, the skin darkens, becomes an earthy, greenish color.

Acute jaundice is usually accompanied by fever, chills, abdominal pain, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, and light-colored stools.

If jaundice develops as a result of chronic disease, there may be symptoms such as weight loss or itching.Jaundice caused by cancer of the pancreas or biliary tract can be accompanied by abdominal pain.

Jaundice in children

A common occurrence is neonatal jaundice. As in adults, childhood jaundice is associated with an increased level of bilirubin in the blood, but in the vast majority of cases it does not pose a serious threat to life or health.

Jaundice is one of the most common syndromes encountered in newborns. According to statistics, almost 60% of full-term babies and 80% of those born prematurely (up to the 37th week of pregnancy) have jaundice of varying degrees at birth.At the same time, 60-70% of this number are faced with a physiological, not pathological form of jaundice. And only one in 20 babies has so high bilirubin in the blood that it needs treatment.

Symptoms of neonatal jaundice usually develop 2–3 days after birth and disappear without treatment by 2 weeks. Most hospitals screen children for jaundice before discharge. Despite the fact that jaundice in newborns usually goes away without medical attention, at the first symptoms it is necessary to show the baby to a doctor so that a specialist can determine the cause of yellow sclera or yellow skin and give individual recommendations.

Jaundice is common in newborns because babies’ red blood cells break down faster. In addition, the liver of a newborn is not fully developed, so it does not remove bilirubin from the blood as efficiently as that of an adult. Plus – the low content of bacteria in the intestines of newborns also affects the metabolism of bilirubin, increasing its content in the blood. Usually, by the end of the second week of a baby’s life, his liver begins to cope with the amount of bilirubin, and the indicator returns to normal.

Treatment is usually only recommended if tests show very high levels of bilirubin in the child’s blood. In particularly high amounts, bilirubin is neurotoxic – that is, it can harm a child’s brain. The extent of the damage depends on the duration of the jaundice and the extent to which the bilirubin is elevated.

Phototherapy is often used to lower the baby’s bilirubin levels. Light from a special lamp hits the skin and converts bilirubin into a form that is more easily broken down by the liver.In rare and severe cases, an exchange transfusion is used: the child’s blood is removed using a catheter and replaced with blood from a suitable donor. Most babies respond well to treatment and are discharged from the hospital within a few days.

Jaundice in adults

Jaundice in adults is less common than in children and can occur for many reasons, including:

• Hepatitis. It is an inflammatory disease of the liver, often caused by a virus. Hepatitis can be acute (completely treatable) or chronic.Other causes of hepatitis: drugs, drugs, alcohol, autoimmune diseases. This damage to the liver eventually leads to jaundice.
• Blocked bile ducts. Through these thin tubes, bile rises from the liver and gallbladder and into the small intestine. Gallstones and tumors can block the ducts.
• Pancreatic cancer: This is the 10th most common cancer in men and 9th in women.
• Blood disorders due to which there is a rapid breakdown of red blood cells.

Gilbert’s Syndrome

Separately, it is worth highlighting Gilbert’s syndrome – a common hereditary disease, also known as constitutional liver dysfunction and familial non-hemolytic jaundice. It does not require treatment, and many doctors do not consider it a disease and consider it as a variant of the norm and an individual feature. Gilbert’s syndrome occurs in 1-5% of the population, depending on the region.It is associated with a defect in a gene that is responsible for the production of a liver enzyme. Thanks to this enzyme, indirect bilirubin is bound.

In a third of carriers of Gilbert’s syndrome, the pathology does not manifest itself throughout life. It is often asymptomatic and can only be detected by a blood test for bilirubin. However, more pronounced symptoms are also possible: pain in the right hypochondrium, a metallic taste in the mouth, flatulence, vomiting, general weakness and fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia.Symptoms are varied, and often patients with Gilbert’s syndrome are faced with low mood, irritability, and anxiety.

Specific treatment for Gilbert’s syndrome is usually not given. The patient needs to limit the amount of fatty foods in the diet, adhere to a healthy lifestyle and visit a gastroenterologist – he is the one who diagnoses and treats this disease.

Diagnostics and treatment of jaundice

A preliminary diagnosis can be made already by the color of the skin, but we repeat that jaundice is not a disease, but a syndrome.Therefore, all further diagnostics after the initial examination will be aimed at identifying the cause of the symptoms.

In case of yellowing of the skin or sclera, it is necessary to pass the following tests:

The next stage is hardware diagnostics. Ultrasound of the liver and biliary tract is often required. An MRI or tomography may also be done as directed by your doctor.

Treatment is selected individually, depending on the causes of jaundice, the condition of the internal organs and the results of the studies. Jaundice has many types and manifestations, and its treatments are also varied.

Different types of jaundice are dealt with by different specialists: therapists, infectious disease specialists, hematologists, oncologists. Which specialist will become the primary attending physician will be clear as a result of the examination. It is correct to start the examination with the delivery of laboratory tests and an appeal to a therapist.

Author:
Baktyshev Alexey Ilyich, General practitioner (family doctor), ultrasound diagnostics doctor, chief physician

90,000 home treatment, phototherapy with a special lamp

Revealing yellowness on the body of a newborn baby may mean the development of the disease.In infancy, such jaundice is called physiological. Timely treatment does not allow the disease to pass into another form.

What types of jaundice are considered pathological? How can you lower your bilirubin? How effective is phototherapy for newborns? How can you help your baby with a bath?

Varieties and manifestations of jaundice in newborns

Jaundice in newborns is a very common occurrence. Jaundice in a child may appear due to a hormonal imbalance in the mother.An excess of estrogen often affects the quality of breast milk and is passed on to the baby during feeding.

However, the main cause of jaundice in newborns is the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood plasma. The development of the disease is due to pathologies of the liver or gallbladder.

During normal liver function, it neutralizes bilirubin. Many babies are born with an immature liver, so the accumulation of bilirubin will affect their skin tone.

The first manifestations of postpartum jaundice appear on days 2-3 of life.The main symptoms of the disease are yellowness of the skin and sclera. The intensity of the shade and the area of ​​the skin lesion depends on the plasma bilirubin content. If all tests are normal, doctors diagnose physiological jaundice. It does not pose a danger to the life of the little patient, but parents should not ignore this condition.

The appearance of yellowness of the skin should prompt the mother to immediately see a doctor. Untimely started treatment can lead to intoxication of the body and the transition from physiological to other more dangerous forms:

• Hemolytic.Jaundice develops as a result of increased breakdown of red blood cells in hemolytic diseases.
• Mechanical. The disease is associated with a violation of the excretion of bilirubin from the liver.
• Nuclear. The disease develops when bilirubin acts on the cranial nerves, as a result of which the brain is affected. Its symptoms are vomiting, discoloration of urine, lethargy, muscle hypertonia, fever, seizures.

When can a child be treated at home, and when – only in a hospital?

Treatment of jaundice is usually done at home.However, this issue should be decided by the attending physician, taking into account the form of the disease and the nature of its course.

Inpatient treatment is required for patients who have been prescribed phototherapy. Some modern parents have approached this issue with all the ingenuity and came up with the idea of ​​renting a lamp. Before deciding on this step, parents should study some of the nuances:

• Resource counter. To obtain the effect of the treatment, the lamp must have an unused resource.
• Presence of a certified document for the device.If it is absent, it is better to refuse the lamp.

Inpatient therapy is mandatory for patients diagnosed with nuclear form. In this case, the child needs urgent hospitalization and emergency treatment.

Treatment of neonatal jaundice and ways to remove bilirubin at home

Treatment of jaundice can be carried out both at home and in a hospital. Any mother wants her child to be treated at home. Complex therapy of jaundice at home includes treatment under a photo lamp, the use of sorbents to cleanse the intestines, the most frequent application to the breast, as well as the use of alternative methods.

Phototherapy, types of lamps used

Phototherapy is one of the safest treatments for jaundice in infants. Its effectiveness is due to the unique ability of ultraviolet rays to dissolve bilirubin.

The therapy is carried out in a specially prepared box. Depending on the form and intensity of the manifestations of the disease, the baby is placed in it for a whole day with or without interruptions of 2 hours. The total treatment time is no more than 90 hours. The optimal therapy is 3 days.

The procedure is carried out subject to certain rules. These include:

• Turnover of the child in different directions. If the child must lie in the box without interruption, then every 2 hours he must be turned over on opposite sides to evenly hit the rays on the body and prevent burns.
• Frequent feedings. Due to the laxative properties of breast milk (especially colostrum), the baby’s intestines begin to work more actively. Frequent bowel movements accelerate the release of the degraded bilirubin from the body.In addition, under the lamp, the patient’s body intensively loses fluid, so only mother’s milk can make up for the lack of water.
• Use of protection for eyes and genitals. A goggle mask is put on the baby’s eyes, and the genitals are covered with a bandage made of a special reflective material.

Light therapy involves the use of special photographic equipment. In the maternity hospital, halogen or fluorescent devices on tripods are usually used. The tripod is installed above the box or baby cot.Treatment is carried out around the clock, with breaks for feeding and hygiene procedures.

In order to cure a child at home, parents usually purchase portable emitters with a lamp underneath. At the same time, the baby does not need to wear glasses or put a bandage on the genitals. Portable photolamps have 2 timers – for adjusting the procedure time and equipment resource.

Breastfeeding and maternal nutritional regimen

The best remedy for physiological jaundice is constant breastfeeding.Mother’s milk helps to revitalize the intestines and prevent dehydration. Compliance with the diet by the mother contributes to a speedy recovery without the risk of complications. A good diet includes cereals, soups, baked fruits and vegetables, and steamed foods. Foods that need to be excluded or minimized – fried, fatty spicy or smoked foods, semi-finished products, allergens, soda. The daily minimum fluid intake for a nursing mother is 2 liters.

Use of sorbents

Treatment at home also includes the use of sorbents – drugs to cleanse the intestines and remove bilirubin. The drugs allowed for babies include Smecta, Enterosgel and activated carbon. The charcoal tablet should be given to the baby in a diluted form. To do this, you need to divide it into 4 parts and dilute each of them in 1 tsp. boiled water.

Bathing in medicinal broths and other folk remedies

Bathing in herbs is an effective folk remedy for jaundice.Calendula and chamomile stimulate the circulatory system and the release of bilirubin from the child’s body, and also have an anti-inflammatory effect when taking a bath.

The decoction for adding to the bath is prepared as follows – a glass of collecting both herbs is brewed in 4 liters of water and infused for 3 hours. Bathing in herbs every day greatly increases the patient’s chances of recovery.

Contraindications to phototherapy and possible side reactions

Despite the fact that phototherapy is one of the safest ways to remove bilirubin from the body of a small patient, the procedure has contraindications.Light therapy is prohibited for children with:

• functional liver disorders;
• complications caused by jaundice;
• significant deviations of bilirubin indices from the norm.

Phototherapy can also cause side effects – hypothermia or overheating of the infant’s body. At the same time, the skin acquires a bronze tint. Other possible side reactions of the body to the action of the photolamp are dry skin, upset stomach, dehydration, severe redness of the skin.To avoid dehydration, pediatricians recommend that mothers put the baby to the breast as often as possible. If there is not enough milk, the baby should be given baby water or rosehip decoction.

Pediatrician, allergist-immunologist, graduated from Samara State Medical University with a degree in Pediatrics. Read more »

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Treatment of jaundice in newborns | 4Baby.spb.ru

Regulation of the level of bilirubin in the blood of newborns is a challenge faced by many new parents.A prolonged stay in the maternity hospital until the baby’s condition improves does not please young mothers and fathers, so it makes sense to rent a lamp and get treatment at home.

Phototherapy and its effect on the child’s body

Phototherapy is rightfully at the forefront as a means of reducing the level of bilirubin. The method is effective, and most importantly – safe for the fragile body of the baby. The essence of the method is in the conversion of bilirubin into lumirubin – a non-toxic form that can be dissolved in water, due to which it is possible to release lumirubin from the body in a natural way.

The lamp does not cause discomfort in newborns, does not cause them pain. Within a few days, you can achieve the desired bilirubin levels by warming up the baby under the rays of the lamp several times a day. However, one should take into account the fact that the stay under the artificial “sun” should be long. There will be no problems with this, since the design of the lamp imitates a baby cot, in which you can place a child for a day or night sleep.

What causes bilirubin levels to go off scale?

– Smoking mother before and during pregnancy.
– Increased hemoglobin level.
– Disruptions in the work of the intestines.
– Insufficient enzymatic activity of the body.
– Special composition of breast milk.
– Abnormalities in the genome.
– Taking medications.
– Pathological changes in the liver and biliary tract.
In the presence of hemolytic disease (by blood group or Rh factor), red blood cells are often destroyed, which implies the occurrence of pathological processes in the newborn’s body and provokes jaundice.Phototherapy eliminates drug therapy. The effect on the liver is minimal, the body does not experience a negative stress, as it happens when taking medications.

Lamp for rent

Know that when faced with such a diagnosis as newborn jaundice, you should not panic. If you live in St. Petersburg, take a temporary use of the phototherapeutic OFTN-03 “Axion” lamp from us for jaundice. Renting will cost significantly less than purchasing a lamp.In addition, it is very difficult to sell such a specific second-hand product. We rent it daily, you decide when to return the device.

Health to your baby, and to you – reasonable and safe actions to strengthen the growing body!

Jaundice of newborns

Dear parents!

Jaundice is a common condition that develops in children during the neonatal period. While safe in most cases, it still requires observation and, in some cases, treatment.Please read the information on issues related to jaundice of newborns that are most common in parents. The staff of the City Perinatal Center wishes health and well-being to you and your children!

What causes jaundice?

Jaundice develops in most newborns. The yellow color of the skin is given by bilirubin, a substance that is found in the blood of both children and adults and is a product of the destruction of red blood cells. Bilirubin is processed in the liver and excreted in urine and stool.In a newborn child, the process of decay of erythrocytes occurs quite intensively, and the excretion of bilirubin is slowed down due to the immaturity of the liver enzyme systems.

Is jaundice dangerous for a child, and what consequences can it have?

In most cases, neonatal jaundice is mild and does not require treatment. However, excessively high levels of bilirubin in the blood can cause it to penetrate the vessel walls into the brain tissue and cause severe irreversible damage to the central nervous system.Therefore, especially not the first week of life, it is necessary to carefully monitor the presence and progression of jaundice in a child.

How to detect if a child has jaundice?

If your child has jaundice, their skin looks slightly yellow or dark. Sometimes the sclera or mucous membranes of the mouth acquire a yellow tint. The face and forehead become icteric first, then the process spreads to the chest, abdomen, and the arms and legs are stained last. The presence and degree of jaundice is best determined in bright daylight, gently pressing your finger on different parts of the child’s skin.

When to see a doctor?

A doctor or a nurse of a maternity hospital or a territorial polyclinic at each examination assesses the degree of jaundice in the child and, in accordance with this, prescribes additional examination and treatment. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you also pay attention to the color of the child’s skin and inform the doctor if its yellowness increases intensively. The reason for an emergency call to a doctor (including an emergency medical service) should be the appearance in a child with jaundice of lethargy, decreased sucking, an increase in body temperature, a shrill cry, throwing the head back.

What can reduce the risk of a child developing severe jaundice?

Correct and frequent feeding. The child should be applied to the breast as often as possible (at least 12 times a day). Bilirubin is excreted in the feces and urine. With insufficient feeding, the rate of urine flow and stool frequency decrease, therefore, the accumulation of bilirubin is accelerated. Inadequate feeding also leads to severe weight loss and, accordingly, to an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood. The appointment of additional (except for breast milk) fluid is usually not required if the child does not have symptoms of dehydration.

How is jaundice treated?

In most cases, no treatment is required. With high levels of bilirubin, phototherapy is performed – irradiation of the child’s skin with light of a special spectrum, which destroys bilirubin in the skin and promotes its excretion in urine and feces. With relatively low levels of bilirubin, treatment can be carried out at home, but this requires the presence of special equipment (in Yekaterinburg there are companies that provide a service for its rental), with high bilirubin values, hospitalization is necessary.The indications for home or inpatient treatment are determined by the doctor. Carefully follow all the doctor’s prescriptions for the treatment and supervision of your child! This will make it possible to prescribe therapy in a timely manner and prevent the development of complications.

Jaundice in newborns – home treatment with folk remedies

According to statistics, jaundice in newborns is observed in 80%. It is manifested by yellowing of the upper skin, which should naturally disappear within a few days.

Sometimes this happens due to the fact that the baby was born prematurely, so his body produces more bilirubin than normal. This physiological jaundice does not require special therapy. However, in most children, the disease is infectious.

Therefore, every mother should know how the treatment of jaundice in newborns is carried out at home.

Causes and analyzes

The cause of the onset of the disease may be bacteria or viruses that have entered the baby’s body from the mother.Such an infection can turn into a disaster for the health of the baby, so urgent measures must be taken.

Before starting home therapy, an analysis should be made for the norm of bilirubin in the newborn’s body. If the indicator does not exceed 200, then this indicates that the baby’s body copes on its own and no external help is required.

If the indicator is from 200 to 300, then it is important to start treating jaundice in a newborn at home.

However, if in the analyzes the indicator is above 300, then the baby needs urgent hospitalization.This level of bilirubin in the body is dangerous for normal liver function.

Dangers of jaundice in babies

It is important to know that bilirubin is a breakdown product of blood cells. He is actively involved in exchange processes and has a yellow color. If a physiological malfunction occurs in the body, then the level of pigmentation increases, which leads to an obvious color of the skin in a yellowish color.

Why is jaundice dangerous in newborns? Bilirubin is not only a useful substance, but also toxic.With a significant increase in the norm of bilirubin in the blood, the baby’s body will begin to be poisoned, which will lead to:

• intoxication;
• damage to the nervous system;
• violation of the chemical composition of the brain;

90,015 mental retardation;

90,015 deafness;

90,015 deaths.

Therefore, it is best not to delay the treatment and immediately start therapy to stabilize the bilirubin in the blood.

At the same time, do not panic, because an increase in bilirubin in the blood sometimes indicates that natural processes are taking place in the baby’s body.The fact is that after birth, a restructuring occurs in the baby’s body. He begins to receive hemoglobin not from the mother through the placenta, but with the help of oxygen through respiration. Because of this, unnecessary embryonic hemoglobin is destroyed, releasing a large amount of bilirubin, which the children’s liver is not able to excrete so quickly.

When does jaundice go away in newborns? Until the restructuring takes place, and the blood is not completely renewed, a yellowish tint will be observed in the baby. This process takes up to a week, and with a strong excess, up to three weeks. Bilirubin excretion systems occur more intensively when the baby is fed with mother’s milk, and not with formula.

Correct treatment of jaundice at home

In order to speed up the process of removing excess bilirubin from the body of a newborn, certain recommendations must be followed. They are easy to use and give good results. Bilirubin that remains under the skin is destroyed during sunbathing and air walks.So, consider how to treat jaundice in newborns at home?

Breastfeeding

For the intensive work of the liver and its correct functionality, the mother should often feed her baby. Some people stop breastfeeding because they don’t know if jaundice is contagious.

It is safe to say that it is absolutely impossible to stop feeding the baby. Pediatric experts recommend increasing the amount of breastfeeding if the baby has no other signs and abnormalities.

When a baby feeds on breast milk, he gets double help:

• Firming.
• Laxative.

In the first case, breast milk strengthens the baby’s immunity, which helps him not to give in to jaundice. In the second, milk has a laxative effect and the toxic elements of the breakdown of embryonic hemoglobin are quickly eliminated from the body.

So set a schedule and feed your baby at least 8 times a day, or even more.Thanks to this, the baby’s body will have enough fluid to remove excess bilirubin and further disappear unpleasant symptoms.

Light Therapy

Ultraviolet rays are an excellent therapy that helps speed up the breakdown of bilirubin in the blood. Such light baths can be carried out at home. To do this, use a special fiber-optic baby blanket. You can also use fiber optic headbands for babies.

For the natural receipt of ultraviolet radiation, the baby can take sunbathing.While walking, do not cover him with a stroller hood, and in the summer you can leave him naked or only in a diaper for a walk.

Sunbathing will help the body naturally cope with excess bilirubin.

However, follow some caveats:

• Baby’s skin is very delicate, so direct sunlight can quickly burn it.
• Leaving a newborn naked for a long time is dangerous because it can freeze.
• In addition to jaundice, the baby should not have other diseases.

Treatment of jaundice with folk recipes

For more than a decade, the treatment of jaundice with folk remedies has been successfully practiced. Such recipes not only remove the yellowness and moodiness of the baby, but also have a firming effect on the entire body.

1. Mom’s correct diet . The condition of the newborn depends on the nutrition of the mother. Mom needs to eat at least 4 times a day. The diet should include steamed dishes without spices.Spicy and salty foods should also be avoided. You can also eat low-fat dairy products and vegetable purees.
2. Glucose . With pronounced jaundice, it is necessary to drink glucose. For this, a 5-10% glucose solution is used. However, such therapy must be carried out on the recommendation of a doctor and under his supervision.
3. Rosehip . Prepare rosehip infusion in a thermos. After feeding, give your baby a little rosehip infusion to drink. It has excellent properties, thanks to which the work of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized and toxins are quickly removed from the body.
4. Magnesia . Magnesia is an excellent substitute for electrophoresis. Therefore, after you fed the baby and gave him a rosehip decoction, apply a bandage moistened with magnesia on the side of the liver. It will speed up the liver and help it excrete bilirubin faster.
5. Activated carbon . It is an excellent absorbent that also helps to remove harmful substances from the body. Depending on the weight of the baby, he is prescribed half or a whole crushed tablet in the form of a drink.The use of activated charcoal is a safe method that will help the baby’s body.

Help your baby cope with jaundice!

Physiological jaundice in newborns can be perfectly treated with folk remedies at home. First of all, it is important for a nursing mother to monitor her diet and the amount of feeding her baby. A correct diet and frequent latching on to the breast is the key to a quicker recovery.

In addition, you can use additional means: rosehip infusion, activated carbon, light therapy and magnesia.Reasonable and consistent use of these folk remedies will help to effectively cope with jaundice and help the baby to quickly get stronger in the first days of his life!

Video: Dr. Komarovsky about the features and types of jaundice and jaundice

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Jaundice – ProMedicine Ufa

Jaundice is more likely not a disease, but a symptom that clearly indicates liver damage, as well as some blood diseases.With jaundice, bilirubin in excess accumulates in the blood and is not excreted in the usual way, which leads to yellowing of the skin and sclera. Jaundice is not isolated as an independent disease. Doctors perceive yellowing of the sclera and skin as a dangerous signal, which is always a reason for high-quality diagnostics.

The reason for the yellowness of the skin is a yellow pigment, which is a breakdown product of hemoglobin. In a healthy person, bilirubin is successfully excreted from the body through the digestive tract along with feces.If a person suffers from liver failure and obstruction of the biliary tract, bilirubin begins to accumulate in the blood. Its excess is partially excreted through the kidneys, creating an excessive load on them, as well as through the skin, which causes its yellowness.

Causes and symptoms

The causes of jaundice are disruption of the liver and biliary tract. Also, the cause of the disease can be an infection, and in the first place, hepatitis. The most common cause of jaundice is hepatitis A, which is also the most easily transmitted disease.

Infection occurs through water, food, unwashed hands. In general, it will be quite enough just contact with an infected person to get hepatitis A. Much more serious pathogens of hepatitis B, C are transmitted only through blood, and this can be doctor’s negligence or unprotected sex.

The symptoms of jaundice are fairly easy to recognize. The disease is always accompanied by pain in the right hypochondrium, where the liver is located. Also, jaundice is often accompanied by chills, fever, headache.A sick person begins to lose weight, there is an upset digestion, loss of appetite.

If cholecystitis is the cause of jaundice, biliary eructation may also occur. Jaundice is characterized by general symptoms of intoxication of the body (nausea, muscle pain, and so on).

Diagnosis and treatment of jaundice

For an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a general and biochemical blood test, tests for bilirubin in the blood are required, and liver function tests are also carried out.Sometimes a liver biopsy is done, the results of which allow the doctor to conclude about the nature of the disease and the severity of the liver damage.

Depending on what caused the jaundice, the doctor prescribes drug therapy aimed at destroying the excess bilirubin in the blood. Often, jaundice is treated with phototherapy, since bilirubin is effectively degraded by ultraviolet radiation. Jaundice in newborns is not treated with drugs. Usually, in young children, liver function is restored on its own, and physiological jaundice disappears after a while without a trace.

It is also important to follow the correct diet: the diet for jaundice should be soft and gentle for the liver and gallbladder. It is good to eat low-fat dairy products, vegetable dishes, lean fish and meat. It is not recommended to eat vegetables containing coarse crude fiber during the period of illness.

Prevention

The first and main protective measure in prevention is the simplest personal hygiene. Attention to your own purity, this is the way to prevent jaundice.

Particular attention should be paid to the cleanliness of food, fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed. Always wash your hands before eating, and try to drink only boiled water if possible. These measures will already halve the rice getting jaundice.

It is possible to include in preventive measures simple disinfectants, with which to wipe hands, personal and public items, pens, staplers, pencils in everyday life.

In addition to household forms of prevention, it makes sense to turn to medical forms and get several vaccinations.Science does not stand still, and new vaccinations are constantly emerging that protect us from all three types of hepatitis. Moreover, this vaccine can work throughout life.

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