Question
The child’s skin appears yellow, but the eyes have not turned yellow. Therefore, the parents did not seek medical attention promptly. However, the yellowing of the skin persisted, and ultimately, after seeking medical treatment, it was diagnosed as jaundice. In this case, does the absence of yellow eyes indicate that the condition is not severe? Can conservative treatment be adopted or wait for spontaneous regression?
Answer
When assessing the severity of newborn jaundice, while severe jaundice can cause the whites of the eyes to turn yellow, the lack of yellow eyes does not directly mean the condition is mild. It is important to conduct detailed medical examinations, especially measuring the jaundice index. Newborns are extremely fragile, and yellowing of the whites of the eyes, medically known as scleral jaundice, is usually a major symptom in the early or regression phase of newborn jaundice. Even if the sclera turns yellow, if the limbs, trunk, and face remain unyellowed, most