Question
My baby is three days old and has quite severe jaundice. How should neonatal jaundice be handled, and what should I pay attention to in everyday care?
Answer
Jaundice is actually a very common occurrence. The high bilirubin levels in a baby’s blood make their skin turn yellow. Neonatal jaundice generally falls into two categories: physiological and pathological. Physiological jaundice doesn’t require any intervention and the baby will recover on its own after a few days. Pathological jaundice, on the other hand, is more severe and requires blue light therapy. In most cases, it’s physiological jaundice, so it’s important to expose the baby to sunlight, feed them frequently, and ensure they eat well and have regular bowel movements.