Newborn Jaundice (cont.)

Medical Author:

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

Dr. Perlstein received his Medical Degree from the University of Cincinnati and then completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at The New York Hospital, Cornell medical Center in New York City. After serving an additional year as Chief Pediatric Resident, he worked as a private practitioner and then was appointed Director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

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Medical Editor:

Bhupinder Anand, MD

Newborn Jaundice Treatment

Newborn Jaundice Self-Care at Home

• Sunlight helps to break down indicrect bilirubin so that a baby's liver can process it more easily.
  • Place the child in a well-lit window for 10 minutes twice a day is often all that is needed to help cure mild jaundice. Never place an infant in direct sunlight.
• If the bilirubin level is too high, the child may need to be placed under a special type of light. This treatment is called phototherapy.
  • Sometimes, such lights can be set up at your home with careful monitoring.
  • The doctor (with the parent's help) will decide whether to begin a child on phototherapy.
• If an infant's bilirubin levels are very high or if the child appears ill, the baby will most likely be admitted to the hospital for treatment.