Baby jaundice
When a baby has a yellowish color on the skin and mucous membranes, it is most likely that he has jaundice, a disease related to the liver. Although it is not a serious condition, it will be necessary for the child to be controlled by the pediatrician at all times. Only he can determine the best treatment to follow.
Associated symptoms
To assess the degree of jaundice of our baby we will have to consult with the pediatrician. He will ask us about some of the associated symptoms: Do you have our little fever, abdominal pain or itching? Once these points are clarified, the doctor will most likely opt for a blood, urine and ultrasound scan. And that is, when the retention of bile is prolonged, Sometimes, it's not so much a bad liver function as a vitamin deficiency. In these cases, the treatment usually consists of the administration of vitamins by intramuscular injections.
Breastmilk
In this regard, it is important to clarify that there are different types of jaundice of the newborn. Thus, jaundice from breast milk, for example, usually appears after the first shots. And it is that, when we begin to breastfeed our little one it can happen that our milk contains a substance that diminishes the activity of the liver enzymes of the child in charge of the transformation of bilirubin.
Physiological jaundice
Another possibility is that our son has a physiological jaundice. This type of conditions, which usually affect 20-30% of babies born at nine months and 70-90% of premature babies, are isolated, without fever and, above all, without digestive disorders. The fundamental reason is usually due to increase in the blood level of bilirubin. This substance, which is usually transformed by the liver so that it can be eliminated by the body, does not change properly, especially during the first hours following delivery.
If our baby gets too yellow and the bilirubin value approaches critical values, it is most likely that the child's pediatrician chooses to treat him with phototherapy. To do this, they will place our little one under ultraviolet lamps that provide a blue light and facilitate the elimination of bilirubin.
To think...
-The treatment of phototherapy does not usually pose any danger to newborns.
-To prevent jaundice from breast milk it is important that let's monitor our diet while we are breastfeeding the baby, trying to moderate with the vegetables, peas and cabbages that could hinder the digestion of the child.
-Yes Our baby's skin has changed color during the last days let's control him. It may be temporary, but in the event that this is not the case, let's not hesitate to take the pediatrician as soon as possible.
-In occasions, the change of color is joined by other symptoms such as fever and headache. These cases are usually associated with an infectious germ (jaundice virus). To solve the problem in addition to proper treatment the pediatrician will urge us to The child's diet is low in fats so we will have to provide, mainly, fruits, vegetables, sugar and skimmed milk.
