Jaundice is extremely common among newborns – about 60 percent of all babies develop the condition, which is characterized by excess levels of bilirubin in the blood. When left untreated for too long, severe jaundice can result in a type of brain damage that causes athetoid cerebral palsy.
Kernicterus Is Preventable
This type of brain damage is known as kernicterus and it’s completely preventable when jaundice is promptly diagnosed and treated. Over the past decade or so, however, a few factors have led to an increase in the number of kernicterus cases diagnosed each year, including:
- Shorter hospital stays
- Relaxed treatment guidelines for jaundice
- Overall decreased public concern over the dangers of jaundice (largely because it’s so common)
There are a number of signs and symptoms associated with severe jaundice, which parents should be aware of and doctors should identify:
- Yellowish-orange skin tone
- Irritation or fussiness
- Poor feeding
- Abnormal muscle tone
- Sleep problems
In addition to cerebral palsy, kernicterus can cause mental retardation as well as hearing, vision and dental problems. This is unfortunate given that severe jaundice is often treatable with simple phototherapy, or a transfusion in more extreme cases.
Tags: Kernicterus "athetoid cerebral palsy" "severe jaundice" "brain damage"