Kernicterus (cont.)
Are some babies more likely to be jaundiced?
Many babies have jaundice. Some babies are more likely to have
jaundice than others.
Sibling
If the baby has a brother or sister that had jaundice, the newborn
will probably have jaundice.
Bruising
A baby who has bruises at birth is likely to have jaundice. A bruise
forms because blood leaked out of a blood vessel and caused the skin
to look black and blue. Then, when the bruise begins to heal, red
blood cells die. Bilirubin is made when red blood cells break down.
The healing of large bruises may cause high levels of bilirubin and
the baby may become jaundiced.
Preterm babies
Babies born before 37 weeks, or 8 ½ months, of pregnancy may become
jaundiced because their liver may not be fully developed. The
immature liver may not be able
to get rid of so much bilirubin. So, if too many red blood cells
break down at the same time, the baby can become very yellow or may
even look orange.
Feeding
Babies who do not eat much are more likely to get jaundice.
Early jaundice
A baby who is yellow in the first 24 hours of life may get
dangerously jaundiced.
Heredity
A baby born to an East Asian or Mediterranean family is at a higher
risk of becoming very jaundiced. Also, jaundice is harder to see in
babies with darker skin tones. Some families inherit a G6PD problem,
and their babies are more likely to become jaundiced.
What are some warning signs of kernicterus?
- Very yellow or orange skin tones (beginning at the
head and spreading to the toes)
- Increased sleepiness, so much that it is hard to wake
the baby
- The baby is not as alert and awake
- High-pitched cry
- Poor sucking or nursing
- Weakness, limpness, or floppiness
- The baby's body is arched like a bow (the head and heels are bent
backward and the body forward)
Can jaundice be treated and prevent kernicterus from developing?
No baby should develop brain damage from untreated jaundice. If a baby
gets too jaundiced, the baby can be treated with phototherapy. That is,
the baby can be put under blue lights most of the day. The blue lights
do not bother the baby. They are warm and probably feel good. If the
baby gets very, very jaundiced, the doctor can do an exchange
transfusion.
What should I do if I think my baby has jaundice?
Call and visit your baby's doctor right away.
Is there a support group for parents of children with kernicterus?
Yes. Parents of Infants and Children of Kernicterus
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(www.cdc.gov)
Last Editorial Review: 6/3/2005
- Jaundice - Jaundice Jaundice is the yellowish staining of the skin and the whites of the eye. Jaundice has many causes.
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