Bilirubin is a yellow pigment in blood and feces. Bilirubin is made by the body when red blood cells are destroyed naturally.In newborns, one of the signshigh levels of bilirubin that is yellow baby condition.
Babies will be jaundiced if the bilirubin is not processed properly by the liver. This can occur because the amount of bilirubin produced from the destruction of blood cells is too much, so the liver does not have time to process it, or indeed because there is a disturbance in the liver. When this happens, the surface of the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. This condition is called jaundice.
Ensure Normal Bilirubin Levels Through Blood Check
To determine the level of bilirubin, it is necessary to do a blood test. The examination is carried out in the first few days since the baby is born. This is to prevent the possibility of a dangerous impact and threaten the safety of the baby.
In newborns, normal bilirubin levels should be below 5 mg/dL. However, not a few newborns have bilirubin levels that exceed these levels. For some cases jaundice mild in newborns, does not require special therapy or medical action. This condition can heal by itself within 2-3 weeks. However, for more severe conditions, it is necessary to receive intensive treatment by a doctor at the hospital.
The treatment given by the doctor aims to prevent a dangerous condition, namely kernicterus, due to jaundice left too long. This condition is a type of brain damage caused by high levels of bilirubin in the baby's blood.
Treatment of High Bilirubin
Jaundice due to high levels of bilirubin with moderate to severe levels, must be treated immediately so that it can return to normal. Here are high bilirubin levels according to the baby's age:
- More than 10 mg/dL in infants less than 1 day old
- More than 15 mg/dL in infants 1-2 days old
- More than 18 mg/dL in infants 2-3 days old
- More than 20 mg/dL in infants older than 3 days.
There are several treatments that can be done in an effort to reduce bilirubin levels to normal in newborns, including:
- Tradiation therapy (phototherapy)In phototherapy, the baby will be placed under a special light that looks blue-green. The light is expected to help change the bilirubin molecule so that it can be excreted through urine and feces. During the process, babies are only allowed to use diapers and eye protection.
- Immunoglobulin transfusion
It is the next step for the treatment of jaundiced babies, especially those caused by differences in the rhesus blood group of the baby and the mother (rhesus incompatibility). This condition makes the baby get a lot of antibodies from the mother's body, which will attack the baby's blood cells, resulting in the breakdown of a lot of blood cells. Infusion of immunoglobulin (IVIg), can help reduce the number of these antibodies, so that jaundice can be resolved.
- Blood replacement transfusion
Handling in this way is only done if the baby who has jaundice severe that does not respond to other therapies. Blood replacement transfusion is done by taking a small portion of blood from the baby's body, then replacing it with donor blood, and is done repeatedly. The goal is that the blood in the baby's body is free from high levels of bilirubin and maternal antibodies.
Normal bilirubin levels are a sign of a healthy baby. If the baby looks yellow and is suspected of having a bilirubin that is too high, you should immediately consult a pediatrician so that appropriate treatment can be given.