Question
Can you help determine if the newborn’s jaundice is physiological or pathological? Do I need to use blue light therapy?
Answer
Based on your description and considering the baby’s bilirubin levels, pathological jaundice is a possibility. It is recommended for children to undergo blue light therapy to prevent bilirubin encephalopathy. Physiological jaundice in newborns and full-term infants typically appears and deepens gradually 2 to 3 days after birth, reaches its peak at 4 to 5 days, disappears between 5 to 7 days, but should not exceed 2 weeks. For premature infants, jaundice usually appears 3 to 5 days after birth, reaches its peak at 5 to 7 days, and resolves between 7 to 9 days, with the longest delay possible up to 3 to 4 weeks.