Physiological jaundice in newborns does not require treatment, as it passes on its own. But sometimes for successful disposal of bilirubin may need help. Premature babies and toddlers need this.
Such babies are given irradiation by a lamp, under the action of which the excess bilirubin is split into non-toxic substances, and then excreted with urine and feces.
All newborns to quickly get rid of the physiological yolk will help the following:
- The best remedy for physiological jaundice in children is the mother’s colostrum, which begins to stand out from the female breast after the birth of a child. It has a mild laxative effect and contributes to the effective elimination of bilirubin along with meconium – the original feces.
- A good way to get rid of jaundice is sunbathing. Spread the baby at home so that the sun beams on him, while trying to open his body as much as possible. On warm days, walk with a crumb on the street, exposing his legs and arms.
- If the bilirubin in the newborn is elevated, doctors can prescribe him with activated carbon and glucose. The first bilirubin binds and removes it from the stool, and glucose improves liver function
The yellow period of the neonatal period is not such a rare phenomenon. During the first days of life, it occurs in 30-50% of full-term and 80-90% of premature babies. Jaundice in newborns is manifested by staining the skin and mucous membranes in yellow. It is physiological in nature and is not cause for concern, but sometimes it can be a sign of disease.
What causes jaundice in newborns
In infants, jaundice occurs due to the accumulation in the blood of an excessive amount of bilirubin – a substance released during the destruction of red blood cells. In a child who is in the womb and receives oxygen through the umbilical cord, the erythrocytes are filled with fetal hemoglobin.
After the baby is born, red blood cells containing immature hemoglobin begin to break down and be replaced by new “adults”. The result is a release of bilirubin. For ridding the body of this toxic substance meets the liver, which removes it from the urine and meconium. But since most newborns, especially premature infants, are still immature and therefore function inefficiently, bilirubin is not eliminated.
Accumulating in the body, it paints tissue yellow. This occurs when the bilirubin level reaches 70-120 µmol / L. Therefore, the physiological jaundice in newborns does not appear on the first or even the second day after birth.
Pathological jaundice in newborns
Over time, the liver becomes more active and, after about 2-3 weeks, removes all bilirubin residues, and the jaundice in children goes away by itself. But in some cases, complications can occur.
They can lead to:
- hereditary diseases that lead to disruption of the processing of bilirubin;
- the discrepancy between the Rh factors of the fetus and the mother – this can cause massive destruction of red blood cells;
- toxic or infectious liver damage, for example, hepatitis;
- cysts in the bile ducts or anatomical features of the body of the child, which violate the outflow of bile.
In all these cases, pathological jaundice occurs. Its presence can be indicated by staining the baby’s skin yellow in the first day after birth, or if the crumb has already appeared with such a skin tone.
Increased symptoms after the third or fourth day and the duration of the yellow one for more than one month, the greenish tint of the baby’s skin, dark urine and very light feces may be accompanied by an increase in the size of the spleen or liver.
Any type of pathological jaundice requires immediate treatment. Otherwise, it can lead to serious consequences, for example, poisoning of the body, the child’s lag in development, deafness and even paralysis.
