Question
My child is 11 days old, and there are yellow spots on their face and bridge of the nose, along with excessive eye crust. I would like to know the cause and how to handle this situation.
Answer
Neonatal jaundice occurs due to the breakdown of red blood cells after birth, leading to an excess of bilirubin. Jaundice can be classified into pathological jaundice and physiological jaundice. Physiological jaundice usually does not require treatment and does not cause any sequelae. However, if it is accompanied by infections, injuries, or other reasons that lead to an overproduction of bilirubin, with levels exceeding the safe range in the blood, active treatment may be necessary. Otherwise, it may lead to kernicterus.