Can jaundice be fatal for a newborn?

When a person has jaundice, both eyes and skin turn yellow as a symptom. When it comes to newborns, most children become victims of this health problem during birth. While it usually gets resolved within a week or two, sometimes it can prove to be dangerous for babies. As such, it is very important to know when jaundice in a newborn can take a dangerous form. In this article, we go over the symptoms of jaundice in a newborn as well as the risk of jaundice.

How common is jaundice in a newborn?

Jaundice in a newborn is very common and often minor. According to the figures:

• One out of 20 babies needs treatment, the rest get better on their own.

• 6 out of 10 babies suffer from jaundice and 8 out of 10 children who are born prematurely suffer from jaundice.

(Read more: Jaundice home remedies)

How dangerous is jaundice in a newborn?

Jaundice occurs when the level of bilirubin starts increasing in newborn babies. The organs of the newborn are unable to reduce the bilirubin on their own because the organs are not fully developed. This is the reason that most babies become victims of jaundice at the time of birth. But when the levels of bilirubin are not lowered in the body of the baby then it can become fatal. Some of the brain cells of the baby can be negatively affected if the levels increase too much. Some children may also suffer from hearing or brain disorders due to this problem.

When do the symptoms of jaundice appear in a newborn?

Symptoms of jaundice in a newborn can appear as early as 24 hours after birth. The disease can progress on the third and fourth days and last for one week.

(Read more: Homeopathic treatment for jaundice)

How to give sunlight to a newborn with jaundice?

Children who get jaundice should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Rather, you can give sunlight from the window to such children.

(Read more: Ayurvedic treatment for jaundice)

Symptoms of jaundice in newborn

Following are some of the symptoms of jaundice that you may note in a newborn:

• Loss of appetite in baby
• Yellowing of the whites of the eyes
• Lethargy
• Crying
• Fever over 100 degrees
• Vomiting
• The yellow colour of urine
• Diarrhea

(Read more: What to eat at jaundice)

How is the risk of jaundice in a newborn tested?

A bilirubin test, which is a blood test, is done to measure the level of bilirubin in the baby's body. This is how doctors find out whether your child needs treatment or not. The doctor also has a special instrument that measures the bilirubin in the skin.