Description

What Is Jaundice?

• Jaundice shows up in babies as a yellowish tinge to the skin and eyes.
• Neonatal Jaundice is very common in newborn babies – about six out of 10 newborns have jaundice to varying degrees.
• Jaundice is caused by an excess of a chemical called bilirubin.
• Most jaundice is ‘physiological jaundice.
• Physiological jaundice will resolve by itself once the baby’s liver is functioning at full speed.
• In babies where jaundice levels are very high in the days after birth, treatment using blue lights (phototherapy) may be required.
• Other less common causes of jaundice include blood group differences between mother and baby, haemolytic anaemia, hepatitis and galactosaemia.

Treatment for common conditions that cause jaundice may include:

• physiological jaundice – often no treatment required, occasionally phototherapy is needed
• breastmilk jaundice – breastfeeding should be continued. Phototherapy is occasionally required in the first few days and typically no treatment is required after that
• blood group differences – the antibodies made by the mother can remain active in the baby’s system for a few weeks. A longer course of phototherapy is sometimes required.

Treatments for rare conditions that cause jaundice may include:

• haemolytic anaemia – treatment depends on the cause. For example, the treatment for haemolytic anaemia caused by malaria infection includes anti-malarial medications
• neonatal hepatitis – there is no specific medical treatment. Options may include vitamin and mineral supplements, or medication to improve the flow of bilirubin through the bile ducts
• galactosaemia – the principal treatment is to make sure the baby’s diet contains no galactose or lactose (another milk sugar). Typically, this means stopping breastfeeding and using special formulas
• biliary atresia – treatment involves surgery to connect a section of the liver to the gut (small intestine) to allow the bilirubin and other products to drain effectively.

Jaundice in babies: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/jaundice-in-babies#treatment-for-jaundice-in-babies

Neonatal Network: www.bapm.org/pages/19-neonatal-networks

Compassion Focussed Techniques Workshop: www.emnodn.nhs.uk/_files/ugd/143840_d8b5137d783b4d83a4e4947393050639.pdf

Foundations in Neonatal Care Course: www.emnodn.nhs.uk/foundations-course

Senior Neonatal Skills Refreshers: www.emnodn.nhs.uk/_files/ugd/143840_f272e4646c7244749d33a657e3d588aa.pdf

Contact Information: