Jaundice
Jaundice (Jaundice) is a known health problem in which newborns, children and adults may be infected, but they are more common among newborns, children who have not completed full pregnancy months (less than 38 weeks), and children who rely on breastfeeding , And it is known as a change in the color of the skin and eyes to yellow, and this yellowing results from the high level of bilirubin (in English: Bilirubin) in the blood is normal, and bilirubin yellow substance caused by the process of decomposition of red blood cells that occur naturally in the body .
Causes of jaundice
Jaundice is not a disease in itself, but it is a health problem caused by the high level of bilirubin in the blood, which earns the skin and eyes and mucous membranes yellow color, and the high level of bilirubin in the blood may be caused by the decomposition of blood corpuscles significantly can not get rid of the liver as quickly as required, Or due to the presence of a disease or problem in the liver, which makes it unable to rid the body of this substance and accumulate in the blood as well.
Causes of Jaundice in Newborns
Infection of children from newborns with jaundice is not a matter of concern, and in most cases does not need treatment, and the most important reasons:
- In newborns, the rate of red blood cell decomposition is higher than in adults, so the production of bilirubin is higher and leads to accumulation.
- The liver is the main organ responsible for the elimination of bilirubin, but may be incomplete in newborns and is still growing and unable to get rid of the accumulated amount of bilirubin in the blood.
- Usually the liver works to rid the body of bilirubin through its secretion in the form of gall bladder juice in the intestine and then exit with the stool, but in newborns the intestine may re-absorb bilirubin instead of leaving the stool with the outside of the body.
Symptoms and signs of jaundice
The jaundice begins to appear with the second or third day of birth. The most important symptoms are the yellowing of the skin, first on the face of the child, then the chest, abdomen and legs. The white area of the eye turns yellow. Most children usually leave the hospital two days before birth. Therefore, it is important for parents to note the symptoms of jaundice on the child, and this may be difficult if the skin of the child is dark, and in this case advised to squeeze a little on the front of the child or nose by finger and the skin will appear in yellow once the finger removed if the child has jaundice, Other symptoms that Accompanied by jaundice in newborns inactivity and lack of movement, lack of breast-feeding, strongly crying, and others.
Types of jaundice in children
With regard to the category of children, there are different types of jaundice may occur to them namely:
- Physiological or natural jaundice: Most newborns develop jaundice, which appears in the form of mild yellowing in the body two to four days after birth. This type is not a concern, it is due to incomplete liver as it is still growing, and this disappears. Type of jaundice on its own within a week to two weeks of delivery.
- Jaundice associated with early delivery: It is common in cases of premature birth in which the fetus did not complete the month of pregnancy, and the main reason is the inability of the body of the child is not mature to get rid of bilirubin, and to avoid any complications are treated these children even if the level of bilirubin is less than it In children who have completed the months of pregnancy and have symptoms of natural jaundice.
- Jaundice associated with breastfeeding: Lack of access to the newborn child enough milk may lead to the emergence of symptoms of jaundice, which is not the result of a problem in breast milk, but not to get enough of the child, for the difficulty in the process of breastfeeding or lack of milk secretion of the breast The mother in the quantity required, in this case can resort to breast-feeding or consult with the doctor in the matter.
- Jaundice associated with breast milk: This type of jaundice occurs in 1-2% of children who rely on breastfeeding, which is the result of the presence of substances in breast milk inhibits the work of the intestines in the elimination of bilirubin, and thus increase in the body and the incidence of jaundice, and notes Sperm appears 3 to 5 weeks after initiation of breastfeeding and gradually decreases spontaneously within 3-12 weeks, and there is no need to stop breastfeeding in such a case.
Treatment of natural jaundice in children
As mentioned earlier, most cases of jaundice in children from newborns are simple cases and disappear on their own without the need for treatment, but can be followed by some procedures to alleviate the situation:
- Continue breastfeeding from the mother and frequently daily; Breastfeeding stimulates bowel movements, thus eliminating bilirubin, which causes jaundice through the stool.
- The use of light therapy to expose the child to a certain light (not the neon light), taking into account the coverage of the eye and genitalia so that it is shed directly on the skin, breaking the bilirubin, and advised to expose the child to the sun in the early morning, so that the sun is not strong for About ten minutes.
- Switching the blood through the withdrawal of a small amount of blood of the child through a device dedicated to it, and then be purified blood from excess bilirubin and then be returned back to the body of the child, may need to change the blood more than once according to the rate of elevation in the level of bilirubin K We avoid brain damage, and this type of treatment is used in case of phototherapy failure.