Question
Female, 25 years old, as a new mother, discovered that her child has an abnormal condition, later learned it was jaundice. How is neonatal jaundice treated?
Answer
First, it is important to identify the type of neonatal jaundice. It is recommended to check the child’s liver function to determine whether the jaundice is based on decreased indirect bilirubin, increased direct bilirubin, or both. If it is based on decreased indirect bilirubin, blue light therapy can be used to alleviate the jaundice. In some cases, injections of albumin and jaundice-lowering medications may be necessary. If the cause is hemolytic disease, it is necessary to clarify the specific cause, such as ABO hemolytic disease, G-6PD deficiency, or thalassemia. In severe cases of jaundice, phototherapy may be required, which is often seen in ABO hemolytic disease. In some cases, immunoglobulin antibody blockade therapy may also be necessary.