Jaundice in newborns is a fairly common pathology that parents have to face. Any mother will easily notice her signs. The skin of the baby becomes unusually dark, as if poured by yellowness. The whites of the eyes also acquire a characteristic shade. When should jaundice pass 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 contained in large quantities. Why does newborn jaundice progress rapidly?
This phenomenon can be caused by many reasons. Among them, it is worth highlighting the functional immaturity of the child’s liver and the rapid decay of red bodies - red blood cells. Their main role during pregnancy is oxygen transfer. After the birth of the baby, they are destroyed as unnecessary, and bilirubin levels increase sharply. This substance is insoluble, the liver is involved in its excretion.
Even in absolutely healthy 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 in 1-2 weeks. In this situation, 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 this diagnosis is not the most favorable, since the nerve cells of the brain gradually begin to die.
Physiological jaundice
This variant of the pathology is most common. What is the physiological jaundice associated with in newborns? Doctors explain the reasons for its appearance by the massive decay 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 birth of a baby, fetal hemoglobin begins to rapidly decay. This entails an increase in direct bilirubin in the blood, which is necessarily accompanied by staining of the skin. Thus, jaundice gradually develops in newborns.
Komarovsky (a famous pediatrician) warns that you should not be afraid of such a diagnosis. Physiological jaundice is diagnosed in 80% of newborns. It begins 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 permissible norms, pathology does not affect the condition of the crumbs.
The consequences of jaundice do not affect the child. If he is breastfeeding, the pathology goes unnoticed. Milk produces a laxative effect. Mekonium (primordial feces), together with bilirubin, quickly leave the child's body.
Pathological jaundice
This ailment is different in that it manifests itself 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 competent treatment, it is first necessary to find out the causes of this condition. Usually, pathology develops in premature babies, when immaturity of the systems of internal organs is observed. As a result, the baby's body can not cope with a large amount of bilirubin on its own.
If the doctor makes a diagnosis of “pathological jaundice,” in newborns, the causes of its development can be caused by many diseases:
- Rhesus factor or blood type incompatibility.
- Diseases of the parenchyma of the liver. An organ cannot fully convert bilirubin and excrete it into the intestine, which affects the level of this substance in the body.
- Pathology of the circulatory system. Usually we are talking about violations at the genetic level. They entail pathologies of the walls of red blood cells, which is necessarily accompanied by their massive decay.
- Diseases of the biliary tract 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 talking about jaundice, they usually mean the physiological form. The long course of a particular variant of pathology can lead to problems from the central nervous system, digestive tract and heart. Bilirubin has a negative effect on many tissues of the body, so treatment should be quick and competent.
When should jaundice pass in a newborn?
The bilirubin release system is gradually improving. Usually the yellow color of the skin disappears after 6-7 days. If the baby is breastfed, the process of removing bilirubin is more intense. The physiological version 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 for more than two weeks, it's time to sound the alarm. Mom urgently needs to show the child to the doctor. Based on the severity of the condition, in-patient treatment with the use of medications may be required. In practice, they usually use Hofitol for newborns from jaundice. Reviews of the drug therapy used are in most cases positive. Negative opinions of parents are usually due to late visits to the doctor.
Doctor consultation: what tests are needed
In infants, this pathology is manifested not only by a change in the skin. Often the urine acquires a dark shade, feces, on the contrary, become discolored. Bruises may appear on the body. The overall well-being of the child is gradually deteriorating. If the skin does not acquire a normal shade after two weeks, you must seek the help of a doctor. You should not postpone the visit and wait for the jaundice of the newborn to pass on its own.
At the consultation, the pediatrician should examine the child and prescribe a blood test to determine the amount of bilirubin. In addition, abdominal ultrasound, hemolysis tests may be required. Based on the results of the tests, the doctor prescribes the appropriate therapy.
How to treat jaundice in newborns
If the child has a physiological form of pathology, specific therapy is not required. Parents should make every effort to help a small body cope with such a problem as jaundice.
In newborns, home treatment involves several options. First of all, it is recommended to start breastfeeding as early as possible, because milk accelerates metabolic processes in a fragile body. So that the crumbs do not have digestive problems, the mother must adhere to a special diet. It is important for the baby to visit the fresh air more often, to take sun baths.
Such care for the child strengthens the body. In this case, the role of an effective medicine is breast milk, which the baby should receive on demand.
With pathological jaundice, serious medication is required. He is prescribed by a pediatrician after determining her stage, the presence of complications. In addition to it, you can use proven recipes of traditional medicine.
Drug therapy
If a pathological form of the disease is identified, treatment should be started immediately. Pediatricians usually recommend Hofitol for newborns from jaundice. Reviews about this drug are extremely positive. It includes an extract from the leaves of a field artichoke. The medication improves liver function, helps reduce bilirubin levels and quickly remove bile from the body.
In addition, enterosorbents (Smecta, Polyphepan) are prescribed. Their main goal is to interrupt the circulation of bilirubin between the liver and directly the intestines.
In cases of cholestasis, pediatricians recommend Ursosan. For newborns from jaundice, this is a very effective drug, which is available in the form of capsules. Many parents are afraid of the side effects of this medication. These include vomiting, allergic rashes, diarrhea. However, such manifestations are not observed in all children. Pediatricians nevertheless prescribe Ursosan for newborns from jaundice, because this pathology is not always distinguished by a harmless character.
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 health of an immature childish body. In this situation, light therapy comes to the rescue. It is a very effective method of treating such a disease as jaundice in newborns.
Home treatment 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 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 eyes of the child must be covered with glasses. Her time is strictly regulated. Sometimes light therapy leads to peeling of the skin and dehydration of the body, therefore, constant monitoring of the physician is simply necessary.
In most cases, you do not have to wait long when the jaundice of the newborn should pass. The duration of treatment with this method is only 96 hours. However, after the first session of phototherapy, noticeable positive dynamics.
The consequences of pathology
The prognosis for this ailment depends on the causes and severity of the disease, the timeliness of confirming 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, the development of deafness, and mental retardation.
Parents should not neglect such a diagnosis, but you should not be afraid of it. Timely treatment and strict adherence to the instructions of the pediatrician is the key to a quick recovery.