Question
My baby is now two months old, and my grandmother-in-law suggested I take him to the children’s hospital for jaundice checkup, but my husband and I didn’t know what to check. Please tell me what tests should be done for jaundice in newborns?
Answer
The newborn jaundice screening tests include the measurement of bilirubin levels, which can be done through venous blood or capillary blood methods to determine the serum bilirubin level, red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte concentration, and nucleated red blood cell count. These tests help in screening for neonatal hemolytic diseases. When hemolytic diseases occur, there is a decrease in red blood cell count and hemoglobin, and an increase in reticulocyte count. It is recommended that newborns with jaundice symptoms actively undergo these tests so that they can be diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.