How to treat high jaundice in newborn babies

Newborn babies with high jaundice usually need to be diagnosed based on the type of jaundice, whether it is physiological or pathological. Treatment includes light therapy, transfusion therapy, and drug therapy. Medical attention should be sought promptly to identify the cause and take intervention measures.

1. Possible causes of high jaundice

Neonatal jaundice can be divided into two types: physiological and pathological.

Physiological jaundice: It usually appears 2-3 days after birth and disappears naturally within 1-2 weeks. This is caused by the immaturity of bilirubin metabolism in newborns, which is affected by breastfeeding, immature liver function and other factors.

Pathological jaundice: usually refers to a significant increase in bilirubin levels or a long duration, caused by other diseases, such as hemolytic jaundice such as maternal-fetal blood type incompatibility, infectious jaundice such as sepsis, viral infection, hepatobiliary diseases such as biliary atresia, etc. Pathological jaundice usually requires emergency intervention.

2. Treatment

For infants with severe jaundice, it is important to choose the right treatment:

Phototherapy: Phototherapy is the main method for treating neonatal jaundice. Through blue light irradiation, indirect bilirubin can be converted into water-soluble bilirubin that is easily excreted. It is usually performed in a hospital and is suitable for moderate jaundice or physiological jaundice.

Exchange transfusion: When serum bilirubin concentrations are high enough to cause a risk of acute bilirubin encephalopathy, exchange transfusion may be necessary. This method rapidly reduces bilirubin levels by replacing part of the newborn's blood and is often used for severe pathological hemolytic jaundice.

Medication: Medications such as enzyme inducers like phenobarbital or bilirubin binders may be used to help lower bilirubin levels, but they require evaluation by a professional physician and should be used with caution.

3. Daily care and auxiliary treatment

For milder neonatal jaundice, parents can also take the following measures:

Increase the frequency of breastfeeding: Breastfeeding helps babies excrete bilirubin faster. Once the baby is found to have high jaundice, appropriately increasing the frequency of breastfeeding can promote the excretion of bilirubin through feces and urine.

Observe skin color and bowel movements: When jaundice is more obvious or the condition worsens, you should always contact the normal and healthy baby's stool is yellow and regular, while severe jaundice may cause abnormal stool color or reduced bowel movements.

Avoiding high-risk factors such as premature birth: Paying attention to pregnancy health early and minimizing the possibility of being born prematurely or with low birth weight are important ways to prevent jaundice.

It should be made clear that pathological jaundice or excessive jaundice may cause serious consequences such as bilirubin encephalopathy, and scientific intervention should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.

Early treatment and evaluation are the key to dealing with neonatal jaundice. Parents should take appropriate medical measures and daily care according to the doctor's advice, and closely monitor the baby's condition to promote healthy recovery.