Question
What medications should a baby with jaundice take to alleviate the yellowing?
Answer
The baby was born prematurely and has been unwell. Recently, we noticed that the baby’s eyes are slightly yellow, suspecting jaundice. A hospital check-up revealed neonatal jaundice. Neonatal jaundice refers to infants under a month old (within 28 days of birth) who have an underdeveloped liver function and abnormal bilirubin metabolism, leading to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood, causing bilirubin to deposit on the skin surface, resulting in a disease characterized by yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and conjunctiva. This condition is very common in newborns, with approximately 85% of full-term infants and most premature infants showing jaundice within one week of birth. Medications can be helpful for jaundice, but considering the baby’s young age, I recommend consulting a doctor to understand how to coordinate medication treatment.