After birth, the baby's body experiences stress, and all its organs are trying to adapt to new conditions. The appearance of jaundice in newborns during this period indicates the destruction of fetal hemoglobin, which differs in composition from that of newborns.
Why is this happening
The destruction of fetal hemoglobin is accompanied by an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood, which gives the baby's body an olive tint. This process is called physiological jaundice, appears on 3-4 days of life and goes away on its own by the 3rd week. This type of jaundice does not harm the baby, but if the condition persists for a longer period, there is a reason to see a doctor.
In other cases, the cause of increased bilirubin in the blood may be pathological jaundice, which is provoked by external unfavorable factors: severe pregnancy, mother's illness while carrying a child. One of the main causes of pathological jaundice can be maternal diabetes mellitus. In other cases, it develops after intrauterine fetal hypoxia or asphyxiation during childbirth.
These conditions can lead to damage to the baby's liver, the development of hormonal disorders in the future, and also cause hepatic dysfunction. There can be quite a few reasons for elevated bilirubin in an infant's blood; only a pediatrician can make a correct diagnosis after complex blood tests for bilirubin and its fractions. Also, various examinations of the baby are prescribed. Only after they are carried out, the doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.
What is the danger of elevated bilirubin
Prolonged jaundice and high levels of bilirubin are dangerous for their toxic effects on the vital centers of the child, including his brain. With an extreme increase in the level of bilirubin, bilirubin encephalopathy may develop on the second day after birth. Outwardly, this is manifested by constant drowsiness, a decrease or absence of sucking reflexes in a baby, sometimes blood pressure can significantly decrease, and a convulsive syndrome appears. When palpating the child's abdomen, the doctor is able to determine a significant increase in the spleen and liver.
If this condition is not treated, by six months the baby will begin to lag behind in mental and physical development, his hearing and vision may be impaired, and paralysis and paresis may develop in the future. Therefore, it is important to start therapy on time, and in the future you should definitely be monitored by a neuropathologist.
How is elevated bilirubin in newborns treated?
With timely treatment started, you can use the simplest and most effective method - phototherapy, otherwise called phototherapy. Under the influence of special lamps, toxic indirect bilirubin is rapidly destroyed and excreted from the body in feces and urine. The baby is placed naked under the UV lamps, only the genitals are left closed. A special bandage is put on the eyes, the duration of the irradiation is prescribed by the doctor. After the procedures, peeling of the skin and the appearance of loose, frequent stools are possible.
To help the baby recover after suffering pathological jaundice, you need to apply it to the breast more often, you need to specifically wake the baby up when it is time for feeding. Eating breast milk facilitates the elimination of bilirubin from the body and helps cleanse the circulatory system and kidneys.
