What are the symptoms of neonatal jaundice?

The symptoms of neonatal jaundice mainly include yellowing of the skin, sclera and whites of the eyes. In severe cases, it may be accompanied by drowsiness, anorexia, weak crying and other symptoms. It should be treated promptly according to the degree of jaundice to avoid possible complications, including phototherapy, drug intervention or transfusion therapy.

1. Yellowing of the skin and sclera

Neonatal jaundice usually first manifests as yellowing of the facial skin. As the bilirubin level in the body increases, jaundice gradually spreads to the chest, abdomen, limbs and the whole body. Yellowing of the sclera and whites of the eyes is another typical symptom, which is especially obvious when observed under natural light. Parents can press the baby's skin to observe the degree of yellowing and make a preliminary judgment on whether there is jaundice.

2. Lethargy, anorexia, weak crying

Mild jaundice will not affect the baby's mental state in most cases, but when the bilirubin level is high, it may cause the baby to be drowsy, have a poor appetite, and cry softly. These symptoms suggest that you need to see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out the possibility of pathological jaundice.

3. Neurological manifestations of severe jaundice

Severe jaundice can lead to bilirubin encephalopathy, also known as kernicterus, which manifests as muscle rigidity, convulsions, sharp crying or persistent coma. This is a critical condition that may cause irreversible damage to the baby's nervous system and requires immediate emergency treatment.

How to deal with neonatal jaundice

1. Nursing of physiological jaundice

Physiological jaundice usually occurs 2-3 days after birth and disappears on its own within about a week. Parents only need to ensure that the baby is fed enough milk to promote the excretion of bilirubin with feces and urine. If jaundice disappears slowly, you can increase sun exposure appropriately, but avoid direct sunlight on the baby's eyes and skin.

2. Treatment of pathological jaundice

Pathological jaundice is more complicated and requires early intervention. Common treatments include:

Light therapy: It breaks down bilirubin through irradiation with blue light and is a safe and effective first-line treatment.

Drug treatment: Take Ruyinzhihuang oral liquid or other drugs recommended by doctors to speed up the disappearance of jaundice.

Exchange transfusion: In cases of severe bilirubin elevation or inadequate response to technical phototherapy, doctors may recommend exchange transfusion to prevent the development of kernicterus.

3. Dietary intervention

Breastfeeding can promote the excretion of meconium and help reduce bilirubin. However, if you suspect that the composition of breast milk affects bilirubin metabolism due to "breast milk jaundice", your doctor may recommend a short-term suspension of breastfeeding to see if the symptoms are relieved.

Most neonatal jaundice is benign, but if the jaundice is found to be getting worse, lasting for a long time, or accompanied by other abnormal manifestations, you should seek medical treatment promptly and use phototherapy, drug therapy and other means to quickly lower the bilirubin level to ensure the healthy growth of the baby.