How is jaundice treated

However, jaundice can happen to people of all ages and is normally the result of an underlying condition. Jaundice normally indicates a problem with the liver or bile duct. In this article, Medical News Today will discuss what jaundice is, why it happens, and how it is diagnosed and treated. Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of eyes that happens when the body does not process bilirubin properly. This may be due to a problem in the liver. Bilirubin is a yellow-colored waste material that remains in the bloodstream after iron is removed from the blood.

The liver filters waste out from the blood. When bilirubin reaches the liver, other chemicals attach to it. A substance called conjugated bilirubin results. The liver produces bile, a digestive juice. Conjugated bilirubin enters the bile, then it leaves the body. It is this type of bilirubin that gives feces its brown color. If there is too much bilirubin, it can leak into the surrounding tissues.

This is known as hyperbilirubinemia, and it causes the yellow color in the skin and eyes. Jaundice most often happens as a result of an underlying disorder that either causes the production of too much bilirubin or prevents the liver from getting rid of it. Both of these result in bilirubin being deposited in tissues. Underlying conditions that may cause jaundice include:. Jaundice is related to liver function. It is essential that people maintain the health of this vital organ by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and not consuming more than the recommended amounts of alcohol.

Common symptoms of jaundice include :. The itching that accompanies jaundice can sometimes be so intense that patients have been known to scratch their skin raw, experience insomnia , or, in extreme cases, even have thoughts of suicide. When complications happen, this is usually because of the underlying problem, not the jaundice itself. For example, if an obstructed bile duct leads to jaundice, uncontrolled bleeding may result.

This is because the blockage leads a shortage of vitamins needed for clotting. Jaundice is a common health issue in newborn infants. Around 60 percent of newborns experience jaundice, and this increases to 80 percent of premature infants born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Red blood cells in the body of an infant are frequently broken down and replaced. This causes the production of more bilirubin.

Also, the livers of infants are less developed and, therefore, less effective at filtering bilirubin from the body. Babies with very high bilirubin levels may be sleepy, fussy, floppy, or have trouble feeding. Jaundice may be hard to see, especially in babies with dark skin. If you're unsure, gently press the skin on your baby's nose or forehead. If it's jaundice, the skin will appear yellow when you lift your finger.

Most healthy newborns have physiological "normal" jaundice. This happens because newborns have more blood cells than adults do. These blood cells don't live as long, so more bilirubin is made when they break down. This kind of jaundice appears 2—4 days after the baby is born and goes away by the time a baby is 2 weeks old.

Doctors can tell if a baby has jaundice based on a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. All newborns are checked for jaundice before leaving the hospital or birth center. Babies with jaundice will get a blood test to check bilirubin levels. Sometimes, a light machine that measures bilirubin in the skin is used. But if the level is high, a blood test must confirm the result. High bilirubin levels can lead to serious problems. So doctors carefully watch babies with jaundice. Mild jaundice goes away after 1 or 2 weeks as a baby's body gets rid of the extra bilirubin on its own.

For newborns with breastfeeding jaundice, mothers should breastfeed the baby more often. If the baby is not getting enough breast milk, the doctor may suggest supplementing with formula. Call the doctor if your baby has jaundice that isn't going away. Babies with jaundice for longer than 2 weeks need more testing to check for other things that cause jaundice.

These include infections, and problems with the liver or bile system, metabolism, or genes. In both methods of phototherapy, the aim is to expose your baby's skin to as much light as possible.

In most cases, conventional phototherapy is usually tried first, although fibreoptic phototherapy may be used if your baby was born prematurely. These types of phototherapy will usually be stopped for 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours so you can feed your baby, change their nappy and give them a cuddle.

If your baby's jaundice doesn't improve after conventional or fibreoptic phototherapy, continuous multiple phototherapy may be offered. Instead, milk expressed from your breasts in advance may be given through a tube into your baby's stomach, or fluids may be given into one of their veins intravenously. During phototherapy, you baby's temperature will be monitored to ensure they're not getting too hot, and they'll be checked for signs of dehydration.

Intravenous fluids may be needed if your baby is becoming dehydrated and they aren't able to drink a sufficient amount. The bilirubin levels will be tested every 4 to 6 hours after phototherapy has started to check if the treatment is working. Once your baby's bilirubin levels have stabilised or started to fall, they'll be checked every 6 to 12 hours.

Phototherapy will be stopped when the bilirubin level falls to a safe level, which usually takes a day or two. Phototherapy is generally very effective for newborn jaundice and has few side effects, although your baby may develop a temporary rash and diarrhoea.

If your baby has a very high level of bilirubin in their blood or phototherapy hasn't been effective, they may need a complete blood transfusion , known as an exchange transfusion. During an exchange transfusion, your baby's blood will be removed through a thin plastic tube placed in blood vessels in their umbilical cord, arms or legs.

The blood is replaced with blood from a suitable matching donor someone with the same blood group. As the new blood won't contain bilirubin, the overall level of bilirubin in your baby's blood will fall quickly.