Inquiry
The child’s bilirubin level was found to be 12.5 on the 30th day, and they have been hospitalized for blue light therapy treatment ever since. Now, the child’s bilirubin level is still 11. The doctor’s examination result states that the child’s jaundice is due to hemolysis. Can the child be discharged from the hospital today? The mother is O-negative blood type, and the father is A-positive blood type.
Answer
Considering that your child has ABO hemolytic disease, and the mother’s blood type is O-negative, then your child’s blood type is likely to be A or B. ABO hemolytic disease primarily manifests as jaundice, liver and spleen enlargement, and anemia. The severity of symptoms can vary greatly, with mild cases often resembling physiological jaundice in newborns, while severe cases can have distinct symptoms. It is important to closely monitor the appearance of jaundice after birth, generally around the 2nd to 3rd day, with severe cases showing jaundice within 24 hours. Attention should also be paid to the rate of jaundice regression. If bilirubin levels are too high and not treated promptly, it can lead to bilirubin encephalopathy, which may affect intelligence later on. Therefore, ABO hemolytic disease should be treated early.