Question
My child was born prematurely. There was a slight yellowish tint recorded upon discharge. The bilirubin level was 11.9 on the sixth day and 13.8 on the 25th day. I want to know if my child is severe, and do they need to be hospitalized?
Answer
Jaundice can be categorized into physiological jaundice, which occurs between 2-3 days after birth, peaks at 4-6 days, and resolves between 7-10 days. In premature infants, it may last longer. Besides mild anorexia, there are no other clinical symptoms. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth and does not fade away within 2-3 weeks, or recurs or worsens within 7-8 weeks after birth, it is considered pathological jaundice. For physiological jaundice, early breastfeeding is recommended. For pathological jaundice, hospital phototherapy or traditional Chinese medicine treatment is suggested.