Is jaundice dangerous in newborns? Consequences and is it dangerous?

At the moment of birth, the baby, entering a new environment, experiences severe stress. In the fragile children's body Minor disruptions may occur, which leads to a phenomenon such as jaundice in newborns. What is this, and should parents panic?

Why does jaundice appear?

Causes of jaundice in newborns

Most often, pathological jaundice affects children whose mothers had a difficult pregnancy, say, they were in danger of miscarriage, or had early or late toxicosis.

What else, besides this, can be the cause of the disease?

• Hemolytic disease, which was caused by incompatibility of the blood of the baby and the mother according to the Rh factor.
• Heredity.
• Infection of a child's liver with a virus in the womb.
• Underdevelopment of liver cells.
• Reduced function thyroid gland- hypothyroidism.
• Deviations from the norm in the bile ducts.
• Preterm birth in women with diabetes mellitus, including those that appear only during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
• Introduction of oxytocin into the mother's body.
• Giving the child antibiotics such as cefazolin or ampicillin.

How does the disease manifest? Tests for jaundice

In infants, additional manifestations of jaundice may be added to changes in the skin. The baby's urine becomes dark in color, and the feces, on the contrary, become discolored. Bruises may appear on the baby’s body for no reason. The child’s general well-being worsens, while the liver and spleen enlarge.

If skin The babies will not acquire a normal shade 2-3 weeks after birth, you need to consult a doctor for laboratory tests.

Before starting treatment, a test is prescribed to determine the amount of bilirubin in the blood. In full-term babies, the critical value is 324 µmol/l, and in premature babies it is only 150-200 µmol/l.

Since this value depends on several reasons, the doctor will prescribe treatment based on the general condition of the baby. In addition, ultrasound is performed abdominal cavity in order to determine the condition internal organs, and also take samples for hemolysis.

How to treat jaundice in a newborn

If a child has a physiological form of jaundice, then we're talking about not about treatment, but only about helping the little man.

What needs to be done to help the child cope with the problem that has arisen faster?

• You need to start breastfeeding as early as possible to help improve metabolic processes in the baby’s body.
• To prevent your baby from having digestive problems , mom must stick to a diet.
• The baby needs to visit more often fresh air and, if possible, sunbathing.

Methods for treating jaundice in newborns

If pathological jaundice is detected, treatment of the infant should be started immediately.

Lamp against jaundice in a baby

This is a treatment based on the effect of ultraviolet rays on the baby's skin. When irradiated with light, chemical reactions occur under the child's skin at a depth of 2-3 mm that convert indirect fat-soluble bilirubin into its water-soluble form - lumirubin. It dissolves freely in the blood of the newborn and is excreted from the body in the urine.

Phototherapy is carried out in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor and compliance with certain rules...

• The baby's eyes are covered with special glasses or a bandage.
• The time of the treatment session is strictly regulated; for this purpose, the lamp is equipped with a timer.
• The procedure can cause peeling of the skin and dehydration of the body, so it is carried out under the constant supervision of a medical professional.

After phototherapy sessions, the child's stool color and character may change. This is normal, as excess bilirubin is excreted from the body in the baby's stool.

Together with phototherapy, the doctor may prescribe infusion therapy. It will be needed to restore water balance. This may be a glucose solution, membrane stabilizers, electrolytes and drugs that improve microcirculation.

Medicines to help with treatment

• One of the medicines is Hofitol - a preparation that contains an extract from the leaves of the field artichoke. It improves liver function, promotes rapid removal of bile and significant reduction bilirubin level in the baby’s body. Ursofalk has a similar effect on the body. Little babies are prescribed medicine in the form of a suspension.
• As aids enterosorbents such as Polyphepan, Smecta or Enterosgel are prescribed . The drugs limit the circulation of bilirubin between the liver and intestines.
• To stimulate metabolic processes and strengthen the immune system, children are prescribed Elkar - a product consisting of carnitine. The drug breaks down fatty acids, helping the baby's body produce additional energy.

When is a blood transfusion necessary?

Blood transfusion is used for severe forms ah pathological jaundice. If the indicators indirect bilirubin rapidly increase and noticeably exceed the norm, then exchange blood transfusion cannot be avoided. Most often, the procedure is performed when a Rhesus conflict occurs.

Exchange blood transfusion involves replacing a small amount of a child's blood with donor blood. This helps flush bilirubin from the baby’s body.

Folk remedies in the treatment of jaundice

Under no circumstances should you risk the health of your newborn and self-medicate! Folk remedies can only be used as an addition to treatment prescribed by the attending doctor and only with his approval.

To improve the general condition of the newborn, you can resort to a strengthening agent, the role of which can be played by a weak rosehip decoction. Can be given to a child as an absorbent Activated carbon by dissolving in water an amount of powder corresponding to its weight.

You should not give your baby any medicinal fees as a diuretic and choleretic agent. No one can say for sure how the child’s body will react to them.

Why is jaundice dangerous - the consequences of the disease

If physiological jaundice passes quickly, leaving no trace in the little person’s body, then the pathological form of the disease can cause serious consequences.

For kernicterus The child’s nervous system is affected, which leads to serious neurological abnormalities. In addition, the child may experience deterioration in hearing and vision, and in the most severe cases develop cerebral palsy. IN in rare cases the disease can lead to paralysis of the sick baby.

If the jaundiced color of the baby's skin does not subside allotted time, consult a doctor immediately. If a baby has jaundice in a pathological form, it needs to be treated immediately.

Video about jaundice, Komarovsky:

More than half of newborn babies have a yellowish tint to the skin and eyeballs varying degrees expressiveness. Many mothers begin to sound the alarm when they notice the first changes. Is it dangerous? Should I be worried? Or is this a common occurrence? What are the causes of jaundice in newborns and can it be treated at home? Let's figure it out together.

Physiological and conjugation jaundice in newborns: symptoms

Many pediatricians claim that jaundice (icterus or hyperbilirubinemia) in infants is natural state temporary (transient jaundice). The yellowish color of the skin is caused by excess bilirubin in the blood, a substance that is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells. Physiological jaundice in a newborn usually occurs 2-6 days after birth. The duration of this condition in a premature baby is 10-14 days, in a full-term baby - 7-10 days.

The main symptoms of physiological jaundice:

1. Yellowish skin tone.
2. The baby's general condition is stable.
3. Feces and urine are naturally colored.
4. The hemoglobin concentration in the blood is within normal limits.

Conjugation jaundice occurs when enzymes in liver cells do not bind and process bilirubin in sufficient quantities. Constitutional liver dysfunction (or Gilbert-Meulengracht syndrome) is a hereditary disease whose symptoms are similar to physiological jaundice. This type of hyperbilirubinemia is very common. The reason for the defective metabolism of bilirubin lies in the disruption of its binding due to hereditary inferiority of liver enzyme systems. This disease usually requires treatment and observation by a doctor.

Jaundice in newborns: normal bilirubin level

At increased rate pigment, the baby develops icterus of different types and severity. The skin of the face first acquires a yellowish tint. eye sclera, lower surface of the tongue and palate. In the case when red blood cells disintegrate with high speed, and the liver does not have time to bind bilirubin, indirect bilirubin accumulates in the bloodstream, which causes a yellowish discoloration of the skin.
Bilirubin is a pigment that is formed due to the destruction of protein structures in the blood and has a yellow color.

In newborn babies, the norm of this pigment is always higher than in a baby who is one month old. At birth, its norm should not exceed a concentration of 60 µmol/liter of blood. Already on the third or fourth day of life, the bilirubin level can rise to 205 µmol/liter. This indicator is considered the norm. Premature infants have up to 170 µmol/liter of blood. The blood of a baby who is one month old has from 8.5 to 20.5 µmol/liter.

Jaundice in newborns with Rh conflict

In order to better understand this issue, let's remember what Rh conflict is. It occurs when the mother, for example, is Rh-negative (that is, has Rh-negative blood), the father is Rh-positive, and the baby inherits the father's Rh-positive gene. In other words, this is D-antigen incompatibility between mother and fetus.

Rh conflict does not develop if the woman is Rh positive or both parents are Rh negative.

Rh conflict during pregnancy occurs due to the penetration of Rh-positive red blood cells of the fetus into the bloodstream of the Rh-negative mother. In turn, the woman’s body reacts to the fetal red blood cells as foreign and begins to produce antibodies.

When the mother's immune Rh antibodies enter the bloodstream of the fetus, they react with its Rh-positive red blood cells, as a result of which the red blood cells of the unborn baby are destroyed and hemolytic disease occurs. This process leads to a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the fetus, as well as damage to its brain and kidneys.

Most frequent symptoms hemolytic disease is early jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen, as well as anemia. The general condition of the newborn worsens as the breakdown product of hemoglobin, bilirubin, accumulates. The baby becomes drowsy, lethargic, he experiences suppressed physiological reflexes and a decrease in muscle tone. If appropriate treatment is not carried out, then on the 3-4th day the bilirubin level may rise significantly, in which case kernicterus may occur. The symptoms of this condition are as follows: the baby is unable to tilt his head forward, he cries, opens his eyes wide, and sometimes convulsions are possible. After 5-6 days, bile stagnation syndrome may develop. In this case, the skin becomes yellowish greenish tint, the feces are discolored, and the urine resembles dark beer. The level of bilirubin in the blood increases. As a rule, the icteric form of hemolytic disease is accompanied by anemia.

How long does jaundice last in newborns and when does it go away?

Gradually, the process of pigment release returns to normal, and the disease usually goes away within 6-7 days, with a maximum of 14-21 days. The yellow color of the skin decreases every day, and it gradually acquires a natural color. If the newborn is breastfed, the process of removing bilirubin occurs more intensively.

Complications are also possible. They are often associated with the toxic effect of indirect bilirubin on the central nervous system baby.

Sometimes icterus occurs in a newborn a long period, mothers complain that the newborn’s jaundice has not gone away for a month (or even longer). This is a protracted form of the disease that requires hospital treatment.

Prolonged jaundice: does not go away for more than a month

If your baby is full-term, the birth took place without complications, and the symptoms of jaundice do not disappear within 2-3 weeks, this is a protracted form of the disease. In premature newborns, prolonged jaundice lasts for 4-5 weeks. Such Long procces the course of the disease indicates that the fetus became infected while still in the womb. Icterus develops due to damage to liver cells by toxic substances. In this regard, the liver is unable to fully bind bilirubin.

Sometimes a yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes appears in infants due to vaccination against hepatitis. The pediatrician must distinguish different types jaundice and prescribe appropriate treatment. In case of prolonged illness, parents should consult a doctor. The baby may need hospital treatment.

Physiological (ordinary) jaundice in infants can also last more than three weeks. This is due to the fact that in some children the liver enzymes quickly process bilirubin, in others - more slowly, because each organism is individual.

Why is jaundice dangerous and what are its consequences?

Physiological icterus is not dangerous for the child. The level of bilirubin in the blood plasma gradually decreases, the yellow color of the skin disappears, and the baby feels normal.

Sometimes jaundice develops into more severe forms of the disease. Its consequences depend on the causes of the disease and how quickly the parents consulted a doctor. If the disease is detected early and appropriate treatment is carried out in time, complications can be avoided.

The following consequences of the disease are possible:

1. Albuminemia is a decrease in the level of albumin in the blood, which occurs due to high levels of bilirubin.
2. Penetration of pigment in small quantities into tissue.
3. The possibility of irreversible processes when bilirubin enters the baby’s brain. The consequence of this process may be kernicterus, which can lead to deafness, convulsive conditions and even mental retardation.
4. Jaundice for more late stage sometimes leads to involuntary muscle contractions or loss of motor control.

How to treat jaundice in babies

Talking about treating icterus is not entirely correct. After all, jaundice is a symptom of the disease, and the reason lies elsewhere. The doctor must determine the cause of the “icteric symptoms” and prescribe appropriate treatment. Physiological icterus does not require treatment. Doctors say that the most best medicine with this type of jaundice, it is mother's milk.

In case of Rhesus conflict, specialists use exchangeable blood transfusions. In just one procedure, up to 70% of the total amount of blood can be replaced in a newborn. In more severe cases, blood is transfused several times.

This method helps reduce bilirubin, but also weakens the baby’s body. Then the doctor prescribes physical procedures.

Mechanical icterus sometimes requires surgical intervention. Such treatment and rehabilitation naturally takes place in a hospital.

Lamp treatment

One type of treatment for physiological jaundice is lamp treatment (phototherapy). This method allows you to quickly get rid of excess bilirubin without the use of injections or other medications.

The treatment takes several days, is absolutely harmless and very effective and receives favorable reviews. Ultraviolet rays, when penetrating the skin to a depth of 2-3 mm, cause chemical reaction, as a result of which bilirubin is destroyed and converted into a non-toxic substance lumirubin, which freely dissolves in the blood and is excreted in bile and urine. Relief of the child’s condition comes already 3-4 days after using the lamp. The pigment level returns to normal and no longer increases. This procedure is carried out in a hospital and at home.

Medicines

One of the effective medications prescribed for the treatment of jaundice in infants is choleretic agent Hofitol. No less effective domestic drug Essentiale forte. Taking into account age, weight and features physical condition baby, dosage and duration of administration medicine determined by the doctor.

With a pronounced effect of indirect bilirubin, doctors prescribe the drug Phenobarbital to prevent kernicterus.

In addition to the main treatment, the pediatrician may prescribe an increase in fluid intake, as well as taking 5% glucose, the dosage of which is also determined by the doctor.

Traditional methods

For many years, jaundice has been successfully treated at home with traditional methods. This allows you not only to get rid of the disease, but also to improve the overall health of the baby.

If the child is breastfed, then first of all the mother must observe special diet. You should eat at least four times a day. The diet should include steamed dishes, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Fatty, spicy, fried, pickled and smoked foods should be avoided.

In order to remove toxins from the baby's body, it is recommended to use rosehip decoction. It will also have a beneficial effect on digestive system baby.

When bright severe symptoms In cases of icterus, the use of 5-10% glucose is recommended. But this procedure must be prescribed by a doctor.

Excellent absorbent that absorbs well toxic substances, is activated carbon. Depending on the weight of the baby, he is prescribed activated carbon dissolved in water. This is a safe and very effective method in the fight against jaundice.

Komarovsky

Well-known pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky claims that jaundice is not an independent disease. This is a symptom of liver disease, biliary tract and other organs. IN modern medicine There are about 50 diseases that are accompanied by the appearance of yellow pigment on the skin. The only type of icterus that does not require medical intervention, - physiological. Other types of this disease are not normal.

1. Phototherapy - effects on the skin ultraviolet rays. The essence of the treatment is to convert bilirubin into a water-soluble form and remove it from the body through bile and urine.
2. Infusion therapy, which is used to prevent disorders water balance body during phototherapy. At the same time, the physiological need for fluid increases by 0.5–1.0 ml/kg/h. The basis of such therapy is glucose solutions.
3. The use of enterosorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel, Polyphepan, Agar-agar, etc.). These drugs are included in therapy to interrupt the hepatic-intestinal circulation of the pigment.
4. Replacement blood transfusion. The procedure is carried out in case of ineffectiveness conservative methods therapy, with a rapid increase in bilirubin levels, when there is a threat of developing kernicterus.
5. Sunbathing. Under the influence of sunlight on the skin, the level of bilirubin decreases, which produces a beneficial effect on the child’s body.

Jaundice and breastfeeding

In medical terminology, there is the term “jaundice” breastfeeding" The baby, feeding on mother's milk, receives some substances that inhibit the binding and removal of bilirubin pigment from the body. The baby's liver does not function properly and slows down its bonding process. As a result, a large amount of bile pigment accumulates in the baby’s blood, which causes a change in the color of the skin and sclera.

Normal jaundice usually goes away in 1-2 weeks. If it does not go away during this time, then perhaps hyperbilirubinemia is caused by breast milk and carries pathological character. What is characteristic is that there are no symptoms of the disease. The child is actively developing, eating and gaining weight well. The only thing is that the baby acquires a golden shade of skin due to increased levels of bilirubin. The peak of this type of jaundice occurs at 10-21 days, and the pigment level can reach 300-500 µmol/l. Then its level gradually decreases, the yellow color of the skin disappears - and the baby recovers. If you have breastfeeding jaundice, you should not stop breastfeeding your baby. Although there is such a method of getting rid of the disease: stop breastfeeding for two to three days. During this time, the bilirubin level returns to normal - and breastfeeding continues. Treatment medicines is also not required. You just need to monitor the child’s condition. Usually by the end of the third month the disease goes away.

Parents need to closely monitor the child's condition. If a yellow color of the skin appears, but the baby feels normal, his stool and urine are without any changes in color, then his condition should not cause concern - it means he has physiological appearance jaundice. The best medicine for this disease is breast milk.

If the child is lethargic, often cries and screams, it means he has a different, more complex look hyperbilirubinemia. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor, conduct tests and treat the child with medications and other methods.

Especially for - Ksenia Manevich

While still in the maternity hospital, young mothers notice that the baby’s skin is turning yellow. These changes are cause for concern, and a natural question arises: why is the skin of a newborn yellow? Pediatricians tend to believe that infant jaundice is normal and temporary.

In this article we'll talk about why newborns are yellow and what factors provoke this phenomenon, as well as about methods of treating infantile jaundice.

Signs of jaundice in babies

The main feature of this disease is the yellow color of a newborn's skin. Around the third day of life, the skin on the face, tummy, between the shoulder blades, feet and palms of many children begins to turn yellow. The whites of the eyes and the mucous membrane of the mouth also turn yellow.

If jaundice does not go away on its own, for an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to consult a doctor and conduct a comprehensive examination of the baby. Depending on the identified causes, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment.

Causes of jaundice in newborns

So why are newborns yellow? The cause of yellow skin is an excessive level of bilirubin in the blood. Deposited in the tissues, the pigment will give the skin and mucous membranes a yellowish tint. Bilirubin is formed as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells and is excreted from the body with the participation of liver enzymes. By virtue of physiological characteristics In the blood of newborn children, the level of bilirubin is exceeded and is excreted from the body more slowly.

Elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood of newborns occur for a number of reasons, and the most common are:

• A high level of red blood cells in the blood of a fetus developing in utero in low oxygen conditions. After the birth of a child, red blood cells are actively destroyed, and this process is accompanied by the release of the pigment bilirubin in excess quantities.
• Due to the functional immaturity of the baby’s liver, a deficiency of the protein responsible for the transfer and removal of bilirubin from the body occurs in the body.

Physiological jaundice

Why do newborns turn yellow? Due to the above reasons, physiological jaundice in newborn babies is considered normal and goes away on its own after 3-4 days. At the same time, physiological jaundice is non-contagious, does not require special treatment and does not affect the general health of the child.

Premature babies are more susceptible to jaundice and experience this condition more acutely. Among premature babies, the incidence of infantile jaundice reaches 100%. In addition, in premature infants, physiological jaundice may persist throughout the first month of life.

Other types of jaundice

Other types of jaundice also occur in newborns:

• Conjugation jaundice is a consequence of a disruption in the process of transition of indirect bilirubin to direct bilirubin.
• Obstructive jaundice - occurs due to a mechanical obstruction of the outflow of bile into the duodenum.
• Hemolytic jaundice is a consequence of intensive breakdown of red blood cells.
• Parenchymal (hepatic) jaundice - occurs due to damage to liver tissue due to hepatitis.

Jaundice caused by breast milk occurs in infants. It can appear about a week after the baby is born and goes away by the end of the first month of life. It is generally accepted that the cause of of this type jaundice are fatty acids found in large quantities in breast milk. These substances inhibit the active conversion of indirect bilirubin into direct bilirubin and suppress liver function.

If the yellow color of the newborn’s skin remains for a long time, parents should seek advice from a specialist. Yellow skin may be a sign various diseases, including hypothyroidism - a lack of thyroid hormones. Other signs of this disease, in addition to yellowness of the skin, are swelling, dry hair, increased cholesterol, and deepening of the voice. They can appear 3–4 days after birth and fade away after a few months. Examination and treatment are prescribed by an endocrinologist.

The cause of obstructive jaundice is most often obstruction of the bile or hepatic ducts. Symptoms include itching, light-colored stool, dark urine, and yellow skin with a slightly greenish tint.

Hemolytic jaundice occurs due to incompatibility of the Rh factor or blood group of the mother and child, leading to a disruption in the structure of hemoglobin or red blood cells. In this case, red blood cells in the child’s blood are actively destroyed.

If the skin of a newborn is yellow, it means that the baby is predisposed to certain diseases - hepatitis, cytomegaly, sepsis, hemolytic disease, toxoplasmosis.

The appearance of yellowness in the skin of a newborn in the first hours of life is a sign high content bilirubin. This poses a risk of brain damage when the gray matter becomes saturated with bilirubin, causing drowsiness, changes in reflexes and serious complications– paralysis, mental retardation, hearing loss.

How to get rid of infant jaundice

The rapid removal of bilirubin from the body is facilitated by the passage of meconium (original feces). The best prevention and the method of treating jaundice in newborns is natural feeding. Colostrum promotes the passage of meconium, acting as a laxative. Therefore, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast as often as possible.

As already mentioned, yellowness in newborns goes away on its own a few days after its onset, without causing harm or bothering the baby. However, during this period the doctor should monitor general condition child to avoid the possibility of developing liver pathology.

4.5555555555556 4.56 out of 5 (9 Votes)

Jaundice in a newborn is a condition characterized by yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes of recently born babies.

Pigmentation may be an option normal development child, and may indicate the presence of pathology. Doctors will help you distinguish one from the other, but there are some things that parents can also use to know.

Why does a baby develop jaundice?

In itself, coloring of a child’s skin is not a disease, but a symptom. Yellow The baby's skin is given the pigment bilirubin, which is a breakdown product of red blood cells and is formed throughout life.

In adults, it enters the liver and is successfully excreted from the body. With a child the situation is more complicated.

In 70% of cases, jaundice occurs in newborns, the reasons for this prevalence are: the liver does not yet fully cope with its functions. At the same time, the level of bilirubin in the blood of babies is high, since red blood cells that supplied the child with oxygen in the womb disintegrate in large quantities.

Thus, three out of four newborns develop jaundice. In most cases, it goes away on its own. one month old child and does not require treatment. The causes of jaundice and high bilirubin levels in babies are:

• multiple pregnancy;
• smoking, drinking alcohol and certain medications during pregnancy;
• iodine deficiency in the expectant mother;
• other complications during the prenatal period;
• premature birth;
• drugs received to stimulate labor;
• Mommy's diabetes.

If the child has jaundice due to insufficient efficient work liver, then it will disappear on its own as soon as all the baby’s organs are sufficiently adapted to life outside the mother’s womb.

However, sometimes jaundice is a symptom of severe pathologies in a child that require immediate medical intervention. This condition is called pathological jaundice and can be caused by the following reasons:

• conflict between mother and baby based on blood types;
• incompatibility of mother and child according to the Rh factor;
• antibiotic therapy for the child;
• liver problems in the baby;
• certain genetic diseases;
• disturbances in hormone synthesis;
• blockage or damage bile ducts;
• pancreatic dysfunction.

At pathological jaundice It is very important not only to reduce bilirubin in the child’s blood, but also to eliminate the cause that caused its increase.

Types of jaundice in newborns

The most important is the classification that distinguishes physiological and pathological jaundice.

How to distinguish physiological jaundice

Physiological jaundice in newborns is diagnosed quite simply; symptoms appear 2-5 days after the baby is born:

1. Bilirubin increases, the skin acquires a yellowish or dark tint on the face, the whites of the eyes turn yellow, then the pigmentation spreads to the child’s arms and chest.
2. The tummy, legs and feet of a baby with physiological jaundice are rarely stained.

At the baby's wellness, natural behavior. Feces and urine do not change color. Bilirubin does not exceed 256 µmol/l.

For examples of this type of “jaundice” in newborns, see the photo:

Signs of pathological jaundice

This dangerous condition develops in 70 babies out of 1000. Pathology should be suspected if:

• the baby “turns yellow” a few hours after birth ( neonatal jaundice in newborns);
• bilirubin exceeds 256 µmol/l; >>>
• the baby sleeps a lot, eats poorly, and is difficult to wake up;
• on the contrary, the child is in constant chaotic movement;
• change in color of discharge: urine darkens, feces lighten.

If measures are not taken at this stage, bilirubin enters the baby’s nervous system, poisoning it. Bilirubin encephalopathy begins, or kernicterus of newborns. Clinical picture accompanied by the following symptoms:

• monotonous scream on one note;
• convulsive syndrome;
• decrease in pressure;
• coma.

Kernicterus most often affects premature babies. The fact is that their brain cells have not yet fully formed, and have difficulty resisting toxic effect bilirubin.

Among pathological forms types of jaundice in newborns are distinguished according to the reason that caused the symptoms. Highlight:

1. Hemolytic(sometimes called suprahepatic). Hemolytic jaundice in newborns is associated with blood problems.
2. Mechanical- associated with problems of the child’s liver, gallbladder, bile ducts.

Obstructive jaundice, in turn, occurs

• hepatic,
• subhepatic,
• suprahepatic.

Hepatic jaundice is associated with disturbances in the functioning of this organ. If there are not enough enzymes to remove bilirubin from the child’s body, then this condition is called conjugation jaundice in newborns. The liver can also be damaged by toxins, viruses, and bacteria.

The causes of the so-called suprahepatic jaundice are problems with gallbladder, pancreas, bile ducts.

When does jaundice go away?

Physiological jaundice of newborns begins to subside when the baby is one week old. The signs of the disease completely disappear by the age of one month.

Pathological jaundice as a symptom can be eliminated quite quickly, within a few days. Today there are ways to quickly and safely remove bilirubin from the patient’s body.

It should be remembered that sometimes pathological jaundice and high bilirubin are symptoms of a serious disease, the duration of treatment of which depends on the situation and can be determined by a doctor.

What to do if jaundice persists

It happens that physiological jaundice does not go away by the age of one month. The reasons for this course of the disease are as follows:

• anemia in the baby (confirmed by a blood test);
• blockage (or fusion) of the bile ducts, stagnation of bile;
• galactosemia (this is one of those diseases that are screened for in the maternity hospital);
• deficiency of thyroid hormone (also checked in the maternity hospital);
• polycythemia (increased number of red blood cells, monitored by blood test);
• Breastfeeding jaundice.

If the baby is already a month old and the jaundice still does not go away, you need to consult a doctor. The doctor will be able to exclude serious diagnoses.

Deserves special mention breastfeeding jaundice, which occurs if mother's milk contains a lot of pregnanediol (a product of hormonal metabolism).

This substance inhibits the excretion of bilirubin. At the same time, the amount of pigment in the blood does not increase, but gradually decreases. The child is in good health.

IN medical community There are two opinions regarding breast milk jaundice:

1. Some doctors believe that an increased level of bilirubin still puts additional stress on the baby’s liver, so breastfeeding must be stopped.
2. Representatives of the other camp do not see anything wrong with continuing feeding.

If you are afraid of harming your baby, but still want to continue natural feeding, this is suitable for you next way. You need to express the milk and heat it in a water bath to a temperature of 70°. >>>

Then cool it and give it to your child. When exposed to temperature, pregnanediol will disintegrate and will have no effect on the rate of bilirubin excretion.

If the baby is diagnosed with jaundice, the mother should find a pediatrician whom she completely trusts and follow all his instructions.

How is jaundice treated?

Most effective method Phototherapy is used to reduce bilirubin in the blood.

The baby is placed under special lamps that operate in the blue spectrum. When exposed to light, bilirubin is transformed into non-toxic lumirubin, which is quickly eliminated from the body.

Phototherapy of newborns with jaundice can be carried out both in the maternity hospital and in a children's hospital.

IN major cities You can rent a lamp for treating jaundice in a child. Therefore, if bilirubin does not go off scale and the baby’s condition does not cause concern, then therapy can be carried out at home.

At the same time, you should not forget to donate blood on time to determine the level of bilirubin.

The lamps are prescribed for 96 hours with breaks for feeding. To protect their eyes, babies are given special bandages or caps.

During phototherapy, the baby loses fluid, so when breastfeeding it is necessary to feed the baby on demand.

Side effects light treatment: skin peeling, frequent stools. These symptoms disappear as soon as treatment is completed. >>>

After the end of phototherapy, choleretic and diuretic drugs are sometimes prescribed to complete the treatment:

• Hofitol is given to newborns with jaundice in the form of drops, three times a day, mixed with water.
• Ursosan is given to newborns with jaundice once a day, diluting part of the capsule contents in a small amount of water. Read also: When can you give water to a newborn?>>>
• It is convenient to give the baby Ursofalk for neonatal jaundice this drug It is better to purchase it in the form of a suspension.

Ursosan and ursofalk reduce bilirubin in the blood within a few days.

• Among homeopathic medicines, doctors can recommend Galsten. Galstena for jaundice in newborns is taken in the form of drops, 3 times a day. Before giving the medicine to the baby, the drops are diluted in breast milk.

Blood transfusions are used to treat severe forms of jaundice. This helps replace most of the red blood cells in the blood and, thereby, reduce bilirubin by half in one procedure.

One transfusion replaces up to 80% of the baby's blood. Taking blood from the mother is not allowed, so another donor is found for the child.

Physiological jaundice goes away on its own and does not require treatment. special treatment. However, the mother can help the baby quickly get rid of excess bilirubin:

• The best method of prevention is breastfeeding. It is important to put your baby to the breast immediately after birth. Colostrum contains components that stimulate the baby's intestines. Together with meconium (the first stool), bilirubin is removed from the body. Mother's milk is the best remedy for fluid replenishment during phototherapy. >>>
• Sunbathing. In late spring, summer or warm autumn, you can move the stroller hood while walking so that the sun's rays fall on the baby's face. In winter, you can stand with the baby on the balcony, just make sure that the child does not freeze. Don't let the sun get into your baby's eyes. Vitamin D received by the baby helps remove bilirubin from the body.
• You should not give your baby glucose solution or rosehip decoction on your own; Only a doctor knows how glucose should be administered for jaundice in newborns.

What consequences can infant jaundice have?

Usually, breastfeeding jaundice and physiological jaundice in newborns have no consequences; when the yellowness of the skin disappears, nothing reminds of the disease.

Recently, neonatologists recognized these conditions as a variant of normal baby development.

The consequences of pathological jaundice depend on the reasons that caused it.

If you start treatment on time and do not deviate from the doctor’s recommendations, then most likely the disease will be completely overcome and will not leave behind any additional diseases.

Untreated or untimely treated jaundice in newborns does not go away without a trace; the consequences can be as follows:

• greatly increased risk oncological diseases liver in the future;
• weak immunity in the baby;
• cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

If the baby has suffered bilirubin encephalopathy, and medical assistance was not provided to him, then the consequences may be partial or total loss hearing, developmental delays, paralysis.

A child with signs of jaundice should be constantly monitored by a doctor so as not to miss the development of severe forms of the disease and to prevent dangerous consequences.

Health to you and your baby!

The skin of a newly born baby quite often acquires a yellow color in the first days of life - in more than 50% of full-term babies and in 70-80% of premature babies. For every mother, such changes will cause anxiety, but jaundice of the skin is not always evidence of a disease. Why can a newborn’s skin turn yellow and how can one determine whether this is a normal stage of development or a disease?

If you notice that the baby’s skin has turned yellow, do not panic. In most cases this goes away quite quickly

What is this?

The yellow tint of the skin is associated with excess bilirubin, a pigment formed during the breakdown of hemoglobin. In its free form, it is toxic to the body and is able to penetrate brain cells, so healthy people in the liver, this pigment is converted into a bound form (soluble in water), which safely leaves the body with feces and urine.

Types of jaundice

Jaundice in infants in the first month of life is divided into physiological and caused by various pathologies (pathological). Depending on the cause, pathological jaundice occurs:

• Hemolytic. It is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells.
• Parenchymatous. It is caused by liver diseases that affect hepatocytes.
• Conjugation. It is caused by problems with the binding of bilirubin.
• Obstructive. It is caused by obstructions in the biliary tract.

Separately, jaundice is distinguished due to estrogens and special fatty acids in breast milk - it is called breastfeeding jaundice. It is not dangerous, appears in the second week of life and can last up to 2-3 months of age, appearing only as a yellow tint to the skin. A toddler with such jaundice gains weight well, suckles with appetite and sleeps normally.

Causes

Appearance in infants on the second or third day of life physiological form jaundice is associated with:

• The breakdown of large amounts of hemoglobin. We are talking about fetal hemoglobin, which was needed during intrauterine development, and after birth is replaced by regular (adult) hemoglobin.
• The immaturity of the liver enzymatic system, as a result of which it is not possible to bind all the pigment formed during the breakdown of hemoglobin.
• Long passage feces through the intestines and unformed microflora, which is why some of the bilirubin enters the bloodstream back.

Hemolytic jaundice in infants in the first days of life is most often caused by incompatibility of the baby's blood with the mother's blood according to the Rh factor or group.

The causes of parenchymal jaundice in a newborn are:

• A viral disease that affects the liver.
• Hereditary liver disease.

The causes of conjugation jaundice may be hereditary disease, hormonal disorder or treating the baby with certain medications.

Obstructive jaundice can cause mechanical damage biliary tract and gallbladder diseases, for example, genetic.

Factors that increase the risk of jaundice in newborns include:

• Prematurity.
• Delayed fetal development.
• Reception expectant mother many medications.
• Significant weight loss after birth.
• Hemorrhages that appeared during childbirth.
• Asphyxia during childbirth.
• Intrauterine infection.
• Diabetes mellitus in an expectant mother.
• Refusal of breastfeeding.

Symptoms

The main symptom of jaundice in a newborn baby is yellowing of the skin. If the jaundice is physiological, it appears on the second or third day of life and in most children does not fall below the navel (the head and top part body). The skin tone is bright, most pronounced on the 3-5th day of life, and then begins to fade.

With pathological jaundice, the skin may change its color earlier (sometimes the child is already born yellow) and later, while the symptom may last longer and appear in periods (wave-like). About the possible obstructive jaundice may suggest a greenish tint to the skin.

Other manifestations of jaundice in a newborn are presented in the table:

Treatment

In each specific case of jaundice in a newborn, the question of the appropriateness and tactics of treatment must be decided by the doctor. Physiological jaundice In most babies there is no treatment at all, as it goes away on its own.

If the bilirubin level is alarmingly high, the child is given phototherapy. This is the most common, simple and safe way get rid of free bilirubin in the baby’s blood. It involves staying under special lamps, the light of which converts toxic bilirubin into a harmless form.

Other treatments that may be given to a baby with jaundice include:

• Infusion therapy. It is often prescribed in cases where the child cannot be breastfed. The baby is given intravenous glucose, saline solutions, proteins and vitamins.
• Blood transfusion. This method of treatment is used when in serious condition baby, for example, if the baby has a Rhesus conflict.
• Medicines with a choleretic effect. Usually prescribed for cholestasis and conjugation jaundice, when the liver does not cope well with its function of binding bilirubin.
• Sorbents to prevent the reabsorption of pigment from feces.
• Surgical intervention in case of obstructive jaundice.

Physiological jaundice is usually not treated, but other forms of infant jaundice must be treated as prescribed by a doctor.

Possible consequences

One of the most dangerous complications jaundice caused by excessive high level bilirubin, is damage to the subcortical nuclei of the brain. This complication is called kernicterus. At the first stage of its development, the baby becomes lethargic, sleeps a lot, refuses to suckle, arches, and throws back its head.

If measures are not taken to reduce the level of bilirubin, the child’s liver becomes enlarged, the body temperature rises, convulsions, a loud cry, and tension in the muscles of the neck appear. In especially severe cases, the baby may die from apnea or coma. Children who have suffered from kernicterus may subsequently experience problems such as paralysis, deafness, and mental retardation.