When should a newborn's jaundice pass? Doctor's advice

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Jaundice in newborns is a fairly common pathology that parents have to deal with. Any mother will easily notice her signs. The skin of the baby becomes unusually swarthy, as if poured with yellowness. The whites of the eyes also acquire a characteristic shade. When should jaundice go away in a newborn, why does pathology occur? The answers to these and other questions can be found in the materials of this article.

The mechanism of development of the disease

Jaundice in newborns is a condition when the skin and eye proteins acquire a characteristic color, a blood test shows an increase in the level of bilirubin. This substance is present in the body of every person, but in infants it is found in large quantities. Why is jaundice rapidly progressing in newborns?

This phenomenon can be due to many reasons. Among them, it is necessary to highlight the functional immaturity of the child's liver and the rapid decay of red cells -erythrocytes. Their main role during pregnancy is to carry oxygen. After the birth of a baby, as unnecessary, they are destroyed, and bilirubin levels increase sharply. This substance is insoluble and is excreted by the liver.

Even in absolutely he althy children after birth, the body lacks a special protein responsible for the transfer of bilirubin to liver cells. The peak of symptoms usually occurs on the 3-5th day from the moment the baby is born.

Pediatricians distinguish two varieties of this condition: physiological and pathological jaundice in newborns. Bilirubin in the first case is excreted from the body in 1-2 weeks. In such a situation, the pathology does not affect the condition of the baby. When the concentration of bilirubin remains at a high level for several weeks, they speak of pathological jaundice. The prognosis for such a diagnosis is not the most favorable, as the nerve cells of the brain gradually begin to die.

Physiological jaundice

This variant of pathology occurs most often. What causes physiological jaundice in newborns? Doctors explain the reasons for its appearance by the massive breakdown of fetal hemoglobin in the baby's blood. It binds to oxygen faster, which is necessary for the fetus. On the other hand, it is characterized by a short duration of activity. After the baby is born, fetal hemoglobin begins to rapidly break down. This entails an increase in direct bilirubin in the blood, which is necessarily accompanied by staining of the skin. Thus, gradually developingjaundice in newborns.

Komarovsky (a well-known pediatrician) warns that you should not be afraid of such a diagnosis. Physiological jaundice is diagnosed in 80% of newborns. It begins approximately on the third day of a child's life and passes on the fifth day. In this case, the level of direct bilirubin does not exceed the permissible limits, the pathology does not affect the condition of the baby.

The consequences of jaundice do not affect the child. If he is breastfed, the pathology goes unnoticed. Milk has a laxative effect. Meconium (original feces), together with bilirubin, quickly leave the child's body.

Pathological jaundice

This disease is different in that it appears almost immediately after birth. The content of bilirubin in the blood rises sharply, reaching critical levels, which is accompanied by poisoning of the nervous system. Treatment requires a lot of time and serious drug therapy.

To prescribe a competent treatment, it is first necessary to find out the causes of this condition. Usually, pathology develops in premature babies, when the immaturity of the internal organ systems is observed. As a result, the baby's body cannot cope with a large amount of bilirubin on its own.

If a doctor diagnoses pathological jaundice, in newborns, the causes of its development can be due to many diseases:

1. Incompatibility by Rh factor or blood type.
2. Diseases of the liver parenchyma. The body cannot fullyconvert bilirubin and remove it to the intestines, which is reflected in the level of this substance in the body.
3. Pathologies of the circulatory system. Usually we are talking about violations at the genetic level. They entail pathologies of the walls of erythrocytes, which is necessarily accompanied by their massive decay.
4. Biliary tract disease is another reason why jaundice occurs in newborns.

Komarovsky in his lectures focuses on the fact that the ailments listed above are extremely rare in young patients. That is why, when they talk about jaundice, they usually mean the physiological form. The long course of one or another variant of the pathology can lead to problems with the central nervous system, digestive tract and heart. Bilirubin has a negative effect on many tissues of the body, so treatment must be quick and competent.

When should newborn jaundice go away?

The bilirubin excretion system is gradually being improved. The yellow discoloration of the skin usually disappears after 6-7 days. If the baby is breastfed, the process of removing bilirubin is more intense. The physiological variant of the pathology is not dangerous and does not pose a threat to the life of the child.

If the symptoms of the disease appeared after discharge from the hospital, this condition lasts more than two weeks, it's time to sound the alarm. Mom needs to urgently show the child to the doctor. Depending on the severity of the condition, hospital treatment may be required withthe use of medicines. In practice, "Hofitol" is usually used for newborns from jaundice. Reviews of the applied drug therapy in most cases are positive. Negative opinions of parents, as a rule, are due to late visits to the doctor.

Doctor's consultation: what tests are needed

In infants, this pathology is manifested not only by changes in the skin. Often, urine becomes dark in color, feces, on the contrary, become discolored. Bruises may appear on the body. Gradually, the general well-being of the child worsens. If the skin does not acquire a normal shade after two weeks, you should seek help from a doctor. You should not postpone the visit and wait until the jaundice in the newborn should pass on its own.

At the consultation, the pediatrician should examine the child and prescribe a blood test to determine the amount of bilirubin. Additionally, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, samples for hemolysis may be required. Based on the test results, the doctor prescribes the appropriate therapy.

How to treat jaundice in newborns

If a child has a physiological form of pathology, no specific therapy is required. Parents should make every effort to help the little body cope with such a problem as jaundice on its own.

In newborns, home treatment involves several options. First of all, it is recommended to start breastfeeding as early as possible, becausemilk accelerates metabolic processes in a fragile body. So that the crumbs do not have problems with digestion, the mother must adhere to a special diet. It is important for the baby to be outdoors more often, to take sunbaths.

Such care for the child helps to strengthen the body. In this case, breast milk acts as an effective medicine, which the baby should receive on demand.

With pathological jaundice, serious medical treatment is required. It is prescribed by a pediatrician after determining its stage, the presence of complications. In addition to it, you can use proven traditional medicine recipes.

Drug therapy

When a pathological form of the disease is detected, treatment should be started immediately. Pediatricians usually recommend "Hofitol" for newborns from jaundice. Reviews about this drug are extremely positive. It contains an extract from the leaves of the field artichoke. The drug improves liver function, helps to reduce the level of bilirubin and the rapid removal of bile from the body.

Additionally, enterosorbents are prescribed ("Smekta", "Polifepan"). Their main purpose is to interrupt the circulation of bilirubin between the liver and the intestines directly.

When symptoms of cholestasis, pediatricians recommend "Ursosan". For newborns from jaundice, this is a very effective drug that comes in the form of capsules. Many parents are afraid of the side effects of this medication. These include vomiting, allergic rashes, diarrhea. However, these manifestations arenot all children. Pediatricians still prescribe Ursosan for newborns from jaundice, because this pathology is not always harmless.

Light therapy

Today, most doctors believe that the fight against this disease is impossible without the use of drugs. Many parents think differently and worry about the he alth of a still fragile child's body. In such a situation, light therapy comes to the rescue. It is a very effective treatment for jaundice in newborns.

Treatment at home involves the use of a special lamp. Its light waves break down bilirubin into non-toxic components. After 10-12 hours of such intensive therapy, they are excreted from the body along with urine and feces. Treatment allows you not to separate the baby from the mother, which gives an excellent opportunity not to refuse breastfeeding.

In some cases, light therapy is carried out in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor. During the procedure, the child's eyes must be closed with glasses. Her time is strictly regulated. Sometimes light therapy leads to peeling of the skin and dehydration of the body, so constant medical supervision is simply necessary.

In most cases, you don't have to wait long for a newborn's jaundice to go away. The duration of treatment with this method is only 96 hours. However, after the first session of light therapy, positive dynamics are noticeable.

Consequences of pathology

The prognosis for this disease depends on the causes and severity of the disease, the timeliness of confirmation of the diagnosis and the use of treatment. If the pathology was detected at an early stage, the negative consequences do not threaten the life of the child.

Otherwise, when the level of bilirubin reaches critical levels, and parents are in no hurry to seek help from a doctor, there is a high probability of brain damage. This, in turn, can lead to seizures, deafness, and mental retardation.

Parents should not disdain such a diagnosis, but they should not be afraid of it either. Timely treatment and strict adherence to the instructions of the pediatrician is the key to a quick recovery.