Newborn Baby Jaundice

Jaundice is yellowing of the skin and/or eyes and is sometimes common amongst newborns. Jaundice occurs when there is a high presence of bilirubin in the blood. This can be due to a high production of bilirubin or the liver not getting rid of the bilirubin quickly enough. Although usually not harmful, jaundice can sometimes be dangerous when the bilirubin levels are too high in the baby. This is known as pathological jaundice and even though it is not a disease in itself, it can lead to a number of problems and diseases if proper treatment is not received.

Pathological Jaundice can result in:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Mental Retardation
• Deafness
• Seizures

There can be a number of causes of jaundice. Prematurity, blood type, and breast-feeding can all be contributing factors to baby jaundice. However, other causes may also be the fault of a medical professional. Bruising during birth or early hospital discharge can also result in a baby developing jaundice. The other type of jaundice that is not harmful will usually go away soon and is no cause of concern. However, it can be difficult to tell whether or not your newborn baby's jaundice is harmful or not and if it may or may not result into something more serious. Only a doctor can properly diagnose the level of severity of your baby's jaundice and provide proper treatment to prevent against any disease.

Many times, the parents of a newborn baby will not notice that their baby has jaundice until a few days after leaving the hospital. This is a common time when jaundice may appear, although it may appear directly after birth as well. It is a doctor's responsibility to properly test the newborn by performing a physical examination, including blood tests. Failing to perform the right tests or provide the right treatment can result in severe consequences for the newborn baby. If your newborn baby has been diagnosed with a disease because a medical professional did not act in a timely manner, contact a lawyer today.