Question
The baby was born 1 day ago, and the doctor said the jaundice level was 10.4, and it was necessary to be hospitalized for isolation treatment. The doctor performed a peripheral blood test and checked for hemolysis, which has been ruled out as the cause. Now, two days have passed, and the doctor has never mentioned the results. How should this be treated, and how serious is this issue?
Answer
If a newborn baby’s jaundice level exceeds 10 within a day of birth, it is already quite high, and it is necessary to investigate the cause of the jaundice. It is common for children born within a day to have hemolytic jaundice. If hemolytic jaundice is ruled out, it is important to consider jaundice caused by infection. If the indirect bilirubin level is high, blue light therapy should be administered. If the jaundice level continues to rise, it may lead to bilirubin encephalopathy, which can affect the child’s intellectual development.