Question
The baby is too small, and I don’t want to hassle at a nearby hospital. I don’t know how to correctly judge the jaundice at home. When I got up early this morning, I noticed that the baby’s face was yellow, and today’s stool was also a bit yellow. So, how do you determine if the baby has jaundice?
Answer
The determination of jaundice can be done from the following aspects:
- Visual Observation: Observe if the baby’s skin color shows signs of jaundice, particularly if the skin around the face and eyes appears yellow.
- Transcutaneous Bilirubin Measurement: You can use a special instrument to measure bilirubin on the baby’s skin, which is a non-invasive testing method.
- Serum Bilirubin Level: Blood tests are the gold standard for diagnosing jaundice. By measuring the bilirubin levels in the baby’s blood, the degree of jaundice can be determined more accurately. It should be noted that the disappearance of jaundice does not mean complete recovery; it simply refers to dropping below the safe range. Treatment measures are only considered when bilirubin exceeds the safe range. Treatment methods mainly include phototherapy, exchange transfusion, and medication treatment to control the condition. Exchange transfusion is suitable for severe jaundice that does not respond to phototherapy, while medication treatment has a slower effect and is usually used when the baby is over 2 weeks old.