Question
Last week, a mother gave birth to a baby in the hospital successfully. However, during the recent check-up, the doctor found that the baby’s bilirubin index was elevated. The family is seeking professional advice and hopes to understand how to handle high bilirubin levels in newborns.
Answer
The treatment of newborn jaundice depends on the concentration of serum bilirubin to determine whether it is physiological or pathological jaundice. For physiological jaundice, treatment with bilirubin-lowering oral liquid can be adopted. In addition, it is recommended to let the baby receive regular sunlight exposure daily, but each session should not be too long, and an eye mask should be worn during sunlight exposure to protect the baby’s eyes from sunlight stimulation. If diagnosed as pathological jaundice, arrangements should be made for the baby to be hospitalized for blue light therapy.