What to do if your 20-day-old baby has moderate jaundice

Jaundice can be divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice.

Generally speaking, if jaundice appears 2-3 days after birth and disappears within 7-10 days, it is considered physiological jaundice. If jaundice appears in the newborn within 24 hours, it may be pathological and you must seek medical attention immediately.

In general, when jaundice occurs, parents should observe the baby's condition, such as whether the baby is in good spirits, whether the bowel movements are normal, etc. If the stool is gray or white, it may be obstructive jaundice and you should seek medical treatment immediately. In addition to jaundice, if the baby also has symptoms such as fatigue, less movement, fever, and poor feeding, it may be due to other diseases, and you should also seek medical treatment directly without delay.

The severity of jaundice can be roughly judged based on the location of the jaundice. If it is only on the face and forehead and there are no other discomfort symptoms, it is generally mild and basically does not require special treatment. You can get more sun exposure, which can help reduce jaundice. Pay attention to the following points when sunbathing:

1. When the sun is abundant, expose your skin through the screen window to receive more sunlight, but be careful not to catch a cold.

2. Pay attention to protect your eyes and perineum.

3. Depending on the intensity of sunlight, change body position every 5 to 10 minutes. If the sunlight is too strong, the time should be reduced. Do not let your skin get red to avoid sunburn.

If the jaundice of some babies does not subside or increases after 2 weeks, they should go to the hospital for examination and diagnosis. The doctor can estimate the jaundice level of the baby through transcutaneous bilirubin test. Generally, if the bilirubin is greater than 12 mg/dL, further examination is required according to the doctor's advice.

Parents can also follow the doctor's advice and give Yinzhihuang oral liquid to babies with bilirubin levels between 12 and 15 mg/dL to promote the excretion of bilirubin from the intestines. However, this medicine may cause diarrhea, so parents should pay attention to cleaning the buttocks and applying some diaper cream. If adverse reactions such as diarrhea are too severe, seek medical attention in time.

In addition, if jaundice develops to the chest, back, arms, legs, and sclera, it may be moderate jaundice; if jaundice develops to the palms and soles of the feet, it may be severe.

Generally speaking, babies with severe jaundice (bilirubin level between 15 and 20 mg) can be treated with blue light irradiation. Medical staff will put on a light-shielding eye mask and protect the vulva to ensure the baby's maximum safety. Babies with extremely severe jaundice (bilirubin level greater than 20 mg) require further diagnosis and treatment by professional doctors in a timely manner.