Definition:
Neonatal Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin and other tissues of a newborn infant due to accumulation of indirect unconjugated bilirubin in the skin. This is the result of an overall increase in the total bilirubin in the blood.
Diagnosis:
Diagnostic procedures include: CBC, red cell fragility test, reticulocyte count, chemistry panel, urinalysis, flat plate of the abdomen, sedimentation rate, and diagnosis of the signs and symptoms.
Treatment:
Newborns with neonatal jaundice are treated with phototherapy; treatment by using colored light for the purpose of breaking down bilirubin.
Symptoms and Signs:
The main characteristic manifested by infants born with neonatal transient jaundice is yellowish color of skin and eyes.
Causes:
Neonatal jaundice can be caused by two factors:
* Breakdown of fetal hemoglobin during replacement of adult hemoglobin
* Relatively immature hepatic metabolic pathways, which are unable to conjugate leading to rapid bilirubin excretion similar with adults.
Other causes of neonatal jaundice are the following:
* Biliary atresia
* Bile duct paucity
* Alagilles's Syndrome
* Alpha 1
* Other pediatric liver diseases
* Rh incompatibility- wherein the mother's blood type is incompatible with the blood of the fetus, when this happen the antigens in the mother's blood will destroy the red blood cells of the fetus.
:
neonataltransientjaundice
The information on this site is for research purposes only and can not substitute for the advice of a medical professional. Ailments.com is not run by doctors and does not engage in the practice of medicine. Our site is not a medical authority, it is just a research tool for you to use in preparation for consulting with a doctor. We can not guarantee our information is accurate or up to date. Even if a statement made about a medical condition is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms, so you should always consult a doctor. Nothing on our site should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
