Question
My child is 1 year old, and the doctor at the hospital did a check-up on the little one today. The doctor said the jaundice level is 16.9, but I’m not sure if I need to do phototherapy. I would like to ask, is the baby’s jaundice of 16.9 severe?
Answer
The baby’s jaundice index is 16.9, which is generally within the normal range. Jaundice is a common symptom and sign. It occurs due to a disorder in bilirubin metabolism, leading to an elevated concentration of serum bilirubin. Clinical manifestations include the yellowing of tissues such as conjunctiva, mucosa, and skin. Since conjunctiva contains more elastic conjunctiva, bilirubin has a strong affinity. The yellowing of the conjunctiva in jaundice patients often appears before mucosa and skin and is first detected. A more accurate judgment is made based on clinical manifestations. There is no need to worry. If pathological jaundice is considered, it involves actively investigating the cause and using phototherapy, which is simple, effective, and has no side effects on the baby.