Do you think your baby has jaundice symptoms? Is their skin yellow?

Jaundice symptoms usually occur within a few days to a week after birth. It is a condition that causes yellowing of the face and the whites of the eyes then progressivly works its' way to the toes. It is caused by excess yellow bilirubin pigment in the blood. Everyone has it in their bloodstream but when there is excess, it spreads from the bloodstream into the tissues. Bilirubin is caused when the blood cells break down.

In most cases it is not serious and clears up within 1-2 weeks without special treatment and usually has no lasting effect.

Premature babies experience this more frequently because their bodies take a little longer to adjust to excreting the bilirubin.

If your doctor is concerned, he may order your baby to spend time under special lights called phototherapy as a treatment while in the hospital.

At home, he may suggest that you expose the baby to indirect sunlight as much as possible to help as well.

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