Question
A friend’s baby has recently been born with a relatively severe case of jaundice. It is said that the baby still has slight jaundice after being checked in the hospital. How should one observe the baby’s jaundice at home?
Answer
Neonatal jaundice refers to the yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera in the neonatal period (from umbilical cord ligation to 28 days after birth), mainly caused by the accumulation of bilirubin in the body. It can be divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. The condition of a baby’s jaundice cannot be determined solely by appearance and requires skin jaundice tests or blood bilirubin tests for confirmation. When the bilirubin index exceeds 14, timely blue light therapy should be administered to prevent further deterioration of kernicterus.