The yellow in the skin of a newborn is called jaundice, is a condition in which he drinks has high levels of bilirubin in the blood, which is a yellow substance that the body of the newborn produces when it replaces the old red blood cells, in this process the liver intervenes, it fulfills the function of eliminating this substance through the feces of the baby, when this does not happen causes the skin and the sclera of the eyes of a baby to look yellow.
To detect if a baby has this condition it is best to observe it the first 7 days of life, under a sunlight or fluorescent lights, the yellow usually appears first in the face, then in the chest, abdomen, arms and legs as the level of bilirubin increases, however, it is recommended that at 2 or 3 days of birth is taken to the appointment with the pediatrician who can determine if this condition is present in the newborn.
Treatment to remove a baby’s yellow from home.
When bilirubin levels do not represent a high risk, do not require treatment in the hospital, this occurs in most cases of jaundice, and it is possible to lower jaundice levels from home, that is, following a series of recommendations at home can avoid harmful effects that can cause brain damage, in addition to avoiding phototherapy.
First breastfeeding can be combined with formula use, as formula-fed babies, most jaundice disappears at 2 weeks, it is effective to accompany this recommendation with the baby’s exposure to sunlight, as it will help lower the bilirubin level, but this will only work if the baby is without clothes; another recommendation is to try to keep your home temperature nice and not too cold for your baby, following this treatment involves protecting your baby’s health, so you should never put newborns in direct sunlight, outdoors, because they could burn in the sun.
When to go to the doctor.
If despite treatment at home, some symptoms are observed, it is necessary to take the baby to a doctor or emergency room, the important thing is to preserve the health of the newborn, we must be attentive to the following symptoms:
- The baby’s skin becomes yellow.
- The skin of the baby’s abdomen, arms, or legs is yellowish.
- The white parts of the baby’s eyes are yellowish.
- The baby looks weak or sick, or it’s hard to wake him.
- The baby does not gain weight or feed well.
- The baby has a sharp cry.
- The baby shows other signs or symptoms that worry you.
Possible causes of treatment at home not working.
- Internal bleeding (hemorrhage)
- An infection in the baby’s blood (septicemia)
- Other bacterial or viral infections
- An incompatibility of the mother’s blood with the baby’s blood
- Hepatic impairment
- Biliary arthritis, a condition in which the baby’s bile ducts are blocked or have scars
- Lack of enzymes
- An abnormality in the baby’s red blood cells that causes them to destroy quickly.
Some conditions to consider when following treatment at home.
If the baby was premature it may not be able to process bilirubin properly at a normal rate, it also feeds less, which would prevent it from removing bilirubin from the feces, also if the newborn presents bruising during birth may have high levels of bilirubin, which would complicate the operation of treatment at home.
Another aspect to consider is whether the blood group of the mother and baby are different, since the newborn may have received antibodies through the placenta that cause abnormally rapid degradation of red blood cells; in addition, although the baby is receiving proper treatment at home, but it is difficult to breastfeed, he does not get enough nutrients and could become dehydrated, risking higher levels of jaundice.
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