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What are the Symptoms?
The main symptom is yellow color of the skin. Usually the skin will appear yellow first on the face and
then followed down to the chest, stomach, legs and the soles of
the feet. The further down the yellowing of the skin spreads
down the baby’s body the more severe the jaundice is.
The white part of the baby’s eyes may look yellow.
Newborns with significant jaundice may
appear sluggish, and sleepier than what is normally expected in
a newborn. They may also not feed very well.
(Baby with Jaundice)
How is Jaundice Diagnosed?
The yellow color of a jaundiced newborn is
best seen after gently pressing a finger onto the tip of the
nose or on the forehead. In the hospital the newborn will be
assessed by the health providers for jaundice.
If the newborn has been discharged home
and jaundice is noted the newborn’s doctor needs to be contacted
to determine the severity of the jaundice.
A blood test for bilirubin level may be
done to find out the extent of the jaundice and this blood test
will determine if the newborn needs treatment.
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