How to Treat Jaundice
Posted on August 18th, 2009 by Elaine
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When someone calls you “yellow”, it means you’re a coward, but if you actually LOOK yellowish, then it’s likely that you have jaundice. Jaundice is the discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes, making them look yellow. It’s a condition that’s often seen in newborn babies, and sometimes among adults. Learn how to treat this condition with these tips.
Treating Jaundice In Infants
It’s common among babies to have jaundice as soon as they are born. It’s either because the baby is premature or her blood type is different from her mother’s. Although it’s not an alarming condition and it disappears within a week or so, many parents find this alarming. There are many simple ways to deal with this. (More tips on how to take care of a newborn baby)
Breastfeed Frequently
Your infant needs to take in lots of fluid when she has jaundice. Frequent and regular fluid intake helps eliminate excessive jaundice from the body. Breastfeed 8 to 12 times daily. If bottle feeding, make sure you follow your physician’s required amount. As you do this, make sure your child’s mouth is latched on your nipple and she is sucking properly, to get enough calories. Otherwise, the jaundice will only worsen.
Use Sunlight
The yellowish hue in the skin means old red blood cell pigments are not being released in the bile and are accumulating in the tissues and bloodstreams. To help absorb the pigments, expose your baby to sunlight. Put the crib beside an open window during early morning or late evening, stripping her clothes, but leaving her diaper on. Leave her in this position for 30 minutes. Repeat this at least twice a day.
Try Phototherapy
You can ask your physician if phototherapy is advisable. This is just like the sunlight method, except the child uses a special blanket and ultraviolet light. This type of light transforms the bilirubin into something that the kidney can process more easily. Phototherapy can last for a few days, depending on the severity of the condition.
Blood Transfusion
If no improvement is seen in the infant after the first few tactics are tried, this may be the best last option. In exchange blood transfusion, blood is withdrawn from the infant in small amounts, diluting bilirubin. Then, it’s transferred back to the baby’s body. The process can be repeated. Exchanged blood transfusion is a very sensitive procedure and must be done only in an intensive care unit.
Adult Jaundice
Adult jaundice is not as simple as that in newborns, and must not be ignored. It’s not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of another underlying and, oftentimes, severe health problem. Possible causes of adult jaundice are:
- Malaria
- Autoimmune or viral hepatitis
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Hemolytic anemia
- Dubin-Johnson Syndrome
- Gilbert’s disease
- Bile duct problems
- Pancreatic cancer
If jaundice comes with other painful symptoms, such as abdominal pain, weakness and vomiting, consult a physician and find out what ailment you have. After proper diagnosis and treatment, you’ll soon be rid of the health problem as well as the jaundice.
Whatever causes jaundice, it’s a good idea to have a physician help you out. Just follow these tips and bring your yellowish skin back to normal. For more information regarding this article, read how to get rid of jaundice.
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