Jaundice is a common prevalent condition typically occurring in the first few days after birth. Most jaundice occurrences are not caused by sickness or serious issues and resolve rapidly without any medical intervention.
What Is Juvenile Jaundice?
Jaundice in infants is a discoloration of the skin and eyes of a newborn child, causing the organs to appear yellow. Infant jaundice develops when the baby’s blood has an excessive amount of bilirubin, a red blood cell pigmentation. If you think your child may be showing such symptoms, get in touch with a newborn pediatrician today to get the symptoms checked out. Now that we know what jaundice is, let’s look at its causes.Causes of Jaundice in Children
When an infant’s liver cannot break down bilirubin, they may develop jaundice. Here are a few causes of the condition:- When the mother and child have different blood types, it causes the baby’s red blood cells to degrade more quickly than usual, increasing bilirubin levels in the baby’s body.
- Infections are typically caused by bacteria (urinary tract infections) or viruses. Jaundice sometimes also signals a more severe infection, such as sepsis or herpes simplex.
- Genetic diseases or Galactosemia, but such instances are rare.
- Blood cell conditions such as sickle cell anemiacan cause deficiencies that affect the breakdown of bilirubin in the body.