How to treat high neonatal jaundice in hospital
Disease description:
Our child was born not long ago, and during an examination, it was found that the jaundice level was somewhat high. I would like to ask, if the jaundice level is high, how should the child be treated in the hospital?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
In general, if a newborn develops a severe case of pathological jaundice, hospitalization is usually required. Currently, hospitals commonly use blue light phototherapy, in which the newborn is placed in a phototherapy unit with his or her eyes protected by a black eye mask to prevent damage to the retina.
Under normal circumstances, the perineum and anus should also be covered with a diaper while the rest of the skin can be left exposed. Either single-sided or double-sided light can be used for irradiation lasting from 2 hours to 48 hours; it is not recommended to exceed 4 days. Continuous or intermittent irradiation can be applied, and treatment can be stopped once the bilirubin level drops below 7 mg/dL.
In addition, for more severe cases of jaundice, exchange transfusion therapy or drug treatment can be used, although exchange transfusion is generally recommended only when phototherapy fails.
If a child's condition appears serious, specific examinations and treatment measures should be discussed with a physician at a hospital.
