14 Common Symptoms of Jaundice in Infants

Jaundice or jaundice in infants occurs when a newborn is born or after a few days from birth which will cause the whites of the eyes and skin of the baby to turn yellow.

This yellow color occurs due to high levels of bilirubin ie the color pigment produced by the baby’s liver from the red blood cells of the body.

The disease is fairly common in infants especially if the baby is born in a state of premature or fewer months. There are some symptoms of jaundice in the baby that can be seen and for some babies who suffer from jaundice, need further treatment because it can affect the baby’s health condition.

1. Digestive Problems occur

Newborns do not yet have any enzymes or digestive bacteria used to process bilirubin. Although the digestion of the baby can receive breast milk intake, non-breast milk intake can cause digestive problems in infants and disrupt the bilirubin process. Digestive problems can be a symptom of jaundice, although the problem of digestion itself not only occurs when the baby has jaundice or jaundice.

2. White Eye and Yellow Skin

The process of yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin in infants is a sign of jaundice that generally occurs on the second and fourth days after birth.

To check it, you can gently press on the forehead and nose of the baby. If the former pressure is seen yellowing, then the chances of the baby suffering from mild jaundice. This can happen because the flow of blood vessels are contaminated by bilirubin and spread to the liver. Read more about Causes of Baby Hair Loss

3. More Yellow Urine For Over 2 Weeks

In normal circumstances, baby urine is a bit yellowish. However, if the urine of a yellow baby is more concentrated and lasts more than 2 weeks, it is most likely that the baby has jaundice even though the yellowing urine may occur due to some other illness. Another factor that affects the color of yellow urine in infants is due to lack of water intake in the baby’s body so that the urine concentration turns into a slightly dark yellow or brownish.

4. Do not want to breastfeed

Another feature characteristic of a baby suffering from jaundice is not willing to suck or decrease appetite in infants. If these symptoms occur and accompanied also with vomiting and urine color to yellow, the possibility of a baby suffering from jaundice and should be checked by the doctor. Read more about How to Stop a Pink Eye for Baby

5. Often Scratching

Babies often scratch the surface of the skin due to the itching that arises because of one jaundice. Itching that occurs throughout the baby’s body occurs due to bilirubin metabolism disorders. Frequent infant scratching because itching also occurs due to toxins that have been mixed in the blood vessels during the bile breaking process.

6. Nausea and Vomiting

If your baby has nausea and vomiting accompanied by decreased appetite, then this can be characterized by jaundice. Nausea and vomiting that occur in infants caused by toxins are mixed in the body, thus stimulating the baby’s stomach and eventually, your baby often feel nausea and vomiting.

7. Baby Body Growing Increasingly

After the skin and also white eyes yellow, then other characteristics that can be seen is the baby’s body is getting weak or weak.

This condition is generally when jaundice experienced by infants has exceeded 2 weeks where bilirubin has been increasingly poisoning the blood and spread to other body parts. If this happens, do not delay to check your baby to the doctor to get further treatment as soon as possible. Read more about Natural Ways to Get Rid of Baby Hiccups Fast

8. Bowel Baby Changed Color

Characteristics that can be seen when the baby suffering from jaundice is from feces or stools when defecating. Under normal circumstances, baby’s stools have a light brown to slightly old color. However, when the stool changes color to black, dark brown or gray and accompanied with blood, it is necessary to watch out if the baby suffering from jaundice.

This can happen because of disturbances in the bilirubin process wherein normal circumstances, some bilirubin will be removed from the body through a bowel movement. Due to the disruption of the bilirubin process, the color of the stool will become more concentrated.

9. Fever or Body Temperature Increases

Toxins that are spread in the blood and baby’s body will also cause a fever or increased body temperature. This fever occurs due to the body’s response to internal disturbances. Increased body temperature can occur in any illness such as inflammation, infection and include symptoms of jaundice.

10. Blood Vessels Changed Forms

Characteristics of infants who experience jaundice can then be seen in the blood vessels of the arms, neck, face, and body. When suffering from jaundice, blood vessels in infants will be shaped like a profit called spider angioma. This can occur because of increased circulation in the blood vessels that make the blood vessels more visible below the skin surface.

11. Bleeding Under the Skin

Jaundice that occurs in infants can also be seen from the appearance of small spot spots red rather purple or in other words bleeding that occurs in the bottom of the skin. Read more about Ways to Prevent Down Syndrome in Baby

This bleeding occurs due to damage to the liver organ that interferes with the process of blood clots in infants. In addition, the process of breaking red blood cells and the formation of blood in the baby’s body will also increase and ultimately bleeding under the skin is more common.

12. There are bruises on the skin

Babies who suffer from jaundice will more easily suffer bruises though not banged hard compared to normal circumstances. Meanwhile, if the baby has an open wound, then the blood that comes out will be longer to stop because the liver is damaging substances in the body’s blood coagulation.

13. Baby’s Stomach Looks Swollen

The swelling seen in the baby’s abdomen is also a further feature if the baby has jaundice. Jaundice or jaundice will make the lymph organ and also the liver swelling so that eventually the baby’s stomach also looks swollen. The fluid that is gathered in the stomach is also the cause of the swollen belly when suffering from jaundice.

14. Urinary Baby Urinating Decreased

The last characteristic that can be seen when a baby has jaundice is that the amount of urine the baby ejects decreases. In addition to volume, the frequency of urination in infants also decreased. This can happen because of interference in liver organ and lymph nodes.

When newborns, yellow color that occurs is still said to be normal. However, if symptoms of jaundice in the baby has lasted more than 2 weeks, then you must be vigilant and check your baby to the doctor as soon as possible.