Doctors assure not to treat newborns for this condition
No need to treat newborns for this condition (Freepik)
When a baby is born, certain changes happen in their body. In particular, the type of hemoglobin changes, and this process is associated with a common condition - neonatal jaundice, according to the medical community Berezhy Sebe.
Should parents panic?
Doctors say that jaundice happens in 60% of babies. Due to lack of knowledge, parents often may be alarmed because the symptoms look scary - the baby's skin and the whites of their eyes take on a noticeable yellow color.
However, it is important to remember that this is a natural process of adaptation of the small body to new conditions, separate from the mother's digestive system. Jaundice usually appears on the 3rd to 5th day after birth and goes away on its own within 10 days.
Therefore, it is not necessary to use remedies and methods that you might hear. In particular, activated charcoal and agar are considered ineffective in dealing with jaundice symptoms.
Also, it is not advisable to use skincare products in the first days of a baby's life, with the hope of reducing jaundice symptoms. Any products can lead to significant irritation of the baby's delicate and incredibly sensitive skin.
When should jaundice be treated?
There is also pathological jaundice, which requires medical help. If jaundice symptoms appear in a baby on the first day of life and last for more than three weeks, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.
Additionally, among the alarming symptoms, doctors highlight the dark color of urine and pale stools.
How jaundice manifests in adults
Several factors can trigger jaundice in adults. These include malignant or benign liver tumors, congenital abnormalities in the structure of the bile ducts, the introduction of parasitic microorganisms into the body, gallbladder and liver pathologies, complications after surgery, and the side effects of certain medical drugs.
Considering the risk of contracting viral hepatitis A, those at risk may include relatives or those who have close, ongoing contact with an infected person, individuals engaging in unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
People who use drugs, especially intravenous drugs, are also at risk.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
