Question
A 22-day-old infant has a jaundice value of 10.3 in the head, 9.5 in the chest, and 9.3 in the abdomen. How should it be handled?
Answer
Generally, newborns will develop jaundice within 3 to 4 days after birth and it will naturally fade away between 7 to 14 days. If the newborn’s jaundice persists severely after birth, medical examination should be conducted to check for blocked bile flow or abnormal liver function. However, many physiological newborn jaundices may last about one and a half months. As long as the baby is in good spirits and gaining weight, there is no need to worry excessively about jaundice and daily care should continue. It is recommended that mothers maintain a light diet during this period, avoid spicy foods, and reduce seafood intake as much as possible.