Up to 60% of term and 80% of preterm neonates will become clinically jaundiced in the first week of life 1, 2.If you have concerns or want more information about your baby, ask the doctor or nurse providing your baby's care. Some babies may need a blood test at about 4 weeks to check for anaemia. This may result from some severe types of jaundice.īabies who had a prolonged high jaundice level (bilirubin tests over 370) are advised to have a hearing test. We suggest you contact your GP if your baby is still jaundiced after 4 weeks. Most babies who had jaundice do not need a special check after leaving hospital. Make sure your baby is not in the direct sun, is warm and not in a draft. Glass protects your baby's skin from burning for a short time. The length of time for this will depend on how strong the sun is at the time. Place your baby in sunlight as this will also help get rid of the bilirubin. Sleep your baby in natural light rather than closing the curtains. It is important not to let the baby sleep longer than 4 hours when jaundiced. If your baby still has jaundice when you leave the hospital we recommend you:įeed your baby 3 - 4 hourly to help flush the bilirubin through the baby's body. Giving your baby intravenous fluids or extra feeds may also help as the extra fluid helps to get rid of the bilirubin. Occasionally some babies may also need a special blood transfusion if their jaundice is severe and not responding to other treatments. The time a baby needs to be under these lights will depend on the baby's bilirubin level but it is usually about 1 - 3 days. These lights help the baby's body to chemically break down the bilirubin in the skin so it can be passed out in the baby's urine and bowel motions. If your baby's bilirubin level is too high we recommend phototherapy which involves your baby lying under fluorescent lights. Which babies are most at risk of high jaundice levels?īabies whose blood group is different from that of their mother.īlood taken from a heel prick is tested to check your baby's bilirubin level. If the level is too high the baby will need further tests until the bilirubin level is going down and nearly to normal.Īdditional blood tests may be carried out to find the cause of any jaundice that lasts for more than three weeks. By testing and monitoring your baby's bilirubin level we can provide treatment quickly if the level is too high, to prevent any harm to the baby. Is a high jaundice level serious?Ī very high bilirubin level may be harmful if left untreated.Ĭomplications of a very high level of bilirubin include hearing problems and brain damage. Premature babies (less than 37 weeks gestation) require treatment for jaundice at lower levels than term babies. If your baby has a higher level than this, treatment will be recommended to help reduce the level. The acceptable maximum jaundice, or serum bilirubin level (measured by the SBR blood test) for a newborn baby is less than about 370 (although this does depend on how old your baby is). It is common for babies to become jaundiced soon after birth, but some babies develop a high level of jaundice that requires treatment. As well as having a yellow colour the baby may be very sleepy and need to be woken for feeds. ![]() Jaundice usually appears on the second or third day after birth. This extra bilirubin is stored in the skin giving the baby a yellow or tanned look. ![]() Some babies find it difficult to cope with the amount of bilirubin during the disposal of these extra blood cells, so their level of bilirubin may build up. These are broken down by the baby's liver. Once born, the baby needs to get rid of these extra blood cells. The yellow colour is caused by bilirubin, a by-product of the normal breakdown of extra red blood cells no longer needed by the baby following birth.Īn unborn baby requires extra oxygen when in the uterus so extra blood cells are needed to carry the oxygen around the baby's body. Jaundice is the name for the yellow colour that your baby has.
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