Question
How can you tell if a newborn’s jaundice is physiological or pathological? The baby’s whites of the eyes are yellow, with yellow mucus in the corners of the eyes, and the inside of the mouth is also yellow. The face has a slight yellowish tint. The baby is able to eat and defecate, and the stool is yellow. This was noticed about a month after birth.
Answer
Physiological jaundice usually appears 2 to 3 days after birth and is mild, with only a slight decrease in appetite, and no other symptoms. Pathological jaundice often appears within 24 hours after birth, or the jaundice deepens, or reappears after subsiding, and has not receded by three weeks. Pathological jaundice is more severe; full-term infants’ total bilirubin levels exceed 205.2 umol/L, often accompanied by symptoms such as fever, thirst, or poor spirits. If you suspect that the baby has pathological jaundice, it is important to check the bilirubin levels as soon as possible.