Question
After a few days of birth, the baby’s skin has turned yellow, and both urine and sweat are yellow. The stool is especially yellow, and the baby keeps crying and doesn’t eat anything. The doctor who examined the baby said it was neonatal jaundice. How should a newborn with a bilirubin level over 400 be treated?
Answer
The baby’s bilirubin level reaches 400 four days after birth, which is a severe pathological jaundice. Based on the baby’s clinical symptoms, it is necessary to provide the baby with blue light therapy as soon as possible. If symptoms of hyperbilirubinemia encephalopathy such as poor mental state, convulsions, and fever occur, be cautious of possible sequelae. If the baby’s mental and feeding conditions are normal after birth without any abnormal signs, there is little impact on future intelligence and development. However, if there are mental and feeding abnormalities, even vomiting, it is necessary to pay attention to observation.