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 |