Question
My child has developed some jaundice symptoms after birth. I’ve heard that jaundice often clears up with sunlight, as it can help eliminate it. However, there hasn’t been much sunlight these past two days, so I was thinking of using an electric heater to expose my baby to sunlight. Can newborns use an electric heater for their jaundice?
Answer
Newborn jaundice can be categorized into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice refers to a temporary jaundice caused solely by the metabolic characteristics of bilirubin. It usually appears 2-3 days after birth, reaches its peak between 4-6 days, and resolves between 7-10 days, with a longer duration in premature infants. Apart from mild loss of appetite, there are no other clinical symptoms. Pathological jaundice requires blue light therapy. An electric heater emits infrared rays and has no therapeutic effect on newborn jaundice.