Jaundice is a type of disease that can be seen in infants as well as in adults. The main factor that causes jaundice is the excess of the substance in the bloodstream, which is defined as bilirubin. The factor that causes jaundice in babies is also due to the excess of this substance. While this disease is severe in some babies, it may be milder in some babies.
Jaundice is one of the most common diseases in babies. About two-thirds of newborn babies have this disease. When red blood cells are broken down by the body, a yellow substance called bilirubin is produced. When this substance is in excess in the bloodstream, it causes jaundice. In jaundice, the white areas of the eyes turn yellow and the skin begins to turn yellow.
Depending on the severity of the disease, it can spread to areas such as the face, legs, arms. This disease is more common in babies born prematurely. However, its incidence is not low in infants who are breastfeeding. There are many factors that predispose to the development of jaundice in infants. In general, the main causes of jaundice in infants are:
- Physiologically named jaundice
- Infections
- Inability to remove bilirubin from the body, which causes jaundice
- Hereditary blood diseases
- Presence of diabetes in the mother
- Hereditary liver disorders
- Rapid breakdown of red blood cells than normal in newborn babies
- Some diseases that the mother had before the baby was born
- congenital diseases
- Hepatitis
- Early birth
- late birth
- genetic factors
How to detect jaundice in babies?
Jaundice, which is seen in a large part of newborn babies, often goes away on its own without the need for treatment. Jaundice, especially seen immediately after birth, resolves within an average of ten days without any intervention. There are two types of jaundice. One of them is spontaneous jaundice and this is called physiological jaundice. The other is called pathological jaundice.
The type of jaundice, called pathological, is extremely serious and must be treated. Jaundice, which lasts for two or three weeks, can cause more serious health problems. Experts state that it is necessary to identify the causes of long-lasting jaundice. Symptoms that indicate the presence of jaundice in infants are as follows:
- The white part of the baby’s eyes turns yellow
- Yellowing of the baby’s skin color
- desire not to eat
- Fatigue
- The baby’s fever is higher than normal
- Gradual darkening of the yellow parts in the baby
- tendency to sleep
- Decreased baby’s desire to suckle
Although jaundice in babies is often insignificant, it can cause serious health problems in some cases. It is of great importance for parents to consult a specialist doctor immediately when there is loss of appetite, too much sleep, decreased desire to suckle, yellowing of the whites of the eyes or yellowing of the skin in babies.
How is jaundice in babies treated?
Jaundice is a very common disease in newborn babies. Jaundice, which appears soon after birth, often resolves spontaneously. However, jaundice that lasts for a long time and bothers the baby may need treatment. When parents see signs of jaundice in their baby, they may be very worried at first. However, jaundice seen after birth is usually not serious. Still, parents are looking for ways to get over this disease in their babies in a shorter time. In this context, one of the most curious topics of parents is what to do with a baby with jaundice.
If the jaundice seen in infants is physiological jaundice, there is usually no need for intervention. Physiological jaundice is a type of jaundice that goes away on its own within a few weeks. There are several simple methods for home treatment of jaundice in infants. Some of these methods are:
- Breastfeeding the baby regularly
- To ensure that the baby receives sunlight without direct contact
The methods listed above are recommended by doctors. However, it is extremely important to get approval from a specialist doctor before applying these methods. Among these methods, herbal treatment of jaundice in infants is also available. Wheat juice is mostly preferred in herbal treatment method. However, although such methods are herbal, it is not recommended to be applied without the approval of a doctor. Therefore, it is of great importance to get approval by a doctor who is specialized in the field before making any application.
How is jaundice treated in babies?
Babies with jaundice have an excess of bilirubin. The organ that helps to remove this substance from the body is the liver. However, since the liver cannot develop immediately in babies, an increase in this substance is observed. After the liver starts to function, it clears this substance from the body and jaundice disappears. This situation is mostly experienced in jaundice of physiological origin. In pathological jaundice, it is important to treat the baby. If not intervened in time, it can cause serious problems in the baby’s brain. In addition, damage to the hearing system may occur along with the brain. There are many different methods used by doctors for the treatment of jaundice in babies. These treatment methods are:
- Phototherapy
- exchange blood
Phototherapy is also a treatment method called light therapy. This method is not harmful to babies. However, in some cases, problems such as skin rash or diarrhea may occur. The purpose of this form of treatment is to ensure that the excess bilirubin in the baby’s blood cells is cleared from the body. Another method used for the treatment of jaundice in infants is exchange transfusion. Exchange transfusion is a method used when phototherapy treatment is not sufficient. This method is based on both the baby’s weight and how many days old it is. It is extremely important that every good method is applied by physicians who are experts in their fields.