Question
The newborn is 25 days old and has had persistent jaundice for 20 days. The average jaundice index on the face is 14.5, on the chest is 13, and on the arms and legs is an average of 12. How should this be handled?
Answer
Generally, newborn jaundice reappears three to four days after birth, peaks between 6 to 7 days, and should fade to normal between 10 to 15 days. However, if the baby is already 25 days old and the jaundice persists without improvement, with an index below 12.9, it may involve viral jaundice. It is recommended to visit the hospital as soon as possible for a re-examination to confirm the type of jaundice and consider blue light therapy to prevent bilirubin encephalopathy and avoid affecting intellectual development.