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Quick Help for Newborns

Washington Post Friday, June 16, 2006; A24

The good news from the May 16 Health article "Jaundiced View" is that a study provides evidence that if newborn jaundice is treated, its long-term effects can be minimized.

The bad news is that, if not properly managed and treated promptly, high levels of bilirubin (the substance that causes jaundice) can cause a type of brain damage called kernicterus. Children with kernicterus may have cerebral palsy, hearing loss, problems with vision and teeth, and mental retardation. While 6 in 10 newborn infants will develop jaundice, about 1 in 10 will need treatment.

It is important that all parents understand risk factors for jaundice; ask a doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test before their baby is discharged from the hospital; and take their baby back to the doctor within 48 hours of leaving the hospital.

Together, parents and health-care providers can ensure good news for every baby with newborn jaundice.

JOSE F. CORDERO
Director
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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DISCLAIMER: Links to organizations outside of CDC are included for information only. CDC has no control over the information at these sites. Views and opinions of these organizations are not necessarily those of CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).

Date: June 20, 2007
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

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