Jaundice is a yellow stain of the skin which is caused by high levels in blood of the chemical bilirubin. The color of the skin vary and depends on the level of bilirubin. When the bilirubin level is mildly elevated, they are yellowish. When the bilirubin level is high, they tend to be brown.

The cause of jaundice is the bilirubin comes from red blood cells. When red blood cells gets old, they are destroyed. Hemoglobin, the iron-containing chemical in red blood cells that carries oxygen, is released from the destroyed red blood cells after the iron it contains is removed. The chemical that remains in the blood after the iron is removed becomes bilirubin. Jaundice occurs when there is too much of bilirubin produced for the liver to remove from the blood.

Around 60 percent of new born infant in the States are jaundiced. Excessive jaundice in newborn infants may cause brain damage. Other factors of the cause is prematurity, blood group incompatibilities between infant and mother including Rh and ABO blood types, and bruising, especially cephalohematomas and caputs, can increase bilirubin production and lead to excessive jaundice.

The newborn jaundice symptom

1. Baby’s bilirubin levels rise, jaundice moves from the head includes the arms, trunk and the legs. The way to check for jaundice is to press a finger against the baby’s skin. Normal skin will turn white but jaundiced skin will stay yellow.

The symptoms may also include :

1. Fever

2. Poor feeding