Jaundice in children

Jaundice is a disease in which almost all of the patient's tissues turn yellowish. This is due to the increased formation of bilirubin, a yellow coloring pigment secreted by bile. How to recognize this disease and cure - read in this article.

Jaundice symptoms in children

In babies, an icteric color of the skin is considered the first sign of liver problems, as well as a consequence of some problems with the circulatory system. Bilirubin, due to which the skin and mucous membranes turn yellow, is formed due to the breakdown of hemoglobin. In a healthy person, bilirubin is excreted in the feces, but in liver diseases it can accumulate. Its excess is sent to the kidneys and skin, which gives the body an additional load.

In babies, the appearance of jaundice is associated with various pathologies or explained by the peculiarities of physiology. Physiological jaundice occurs only in newborns. During the first month of life, it passes. Pathological jaundice is associated with disease and is characterized by a very severe course.

Signs of jaundice cannot be confused with manifestations of other diseases. The main symptom is a yellowish staining of the skin. In addition, there are other manifestations of the disease:

• Headache
• Fever and chills.
• Weight loss.
• Refusal to eat.
• Dyspeptic disorders.
• Symptoms poisoning- vomiting, nausea and muscle pain.
• Itching of the skin.
• The urine becomes dark in color.
• The feces become very light.

Jaundice in newborns

Recent studies by specialists have shown that jaundice of newborns in most cases is a normal condition and is explained by the adaptation of the baby's body to new conditions after birth. But at the same time, there are cases when such a condition can be dangerous.

In about two-thirds of newborn babies, the skin turns yellow a few days after birth. The fact is that in the womb, oxygen was delivered to the cells of the baby's body by red blood cells. With birth, the need for such a method of oxygenation has disappeared. Therefore, excess hemoglobin is destroyed, which leads to increased production of bilirubin. The process of its withdrawal takes several days or even stretches over several weeks.

The baby's excretory system is constantly being improved, and after two or a maximum of three weeks, the jaundiced skin tone disappears. Physiological jaundice for a baby is not dangerous and does not have any bad consequences. But sometimes there are cases when a doctor's help is needed for jaundice.

Treatment of jaundice in children

With an increased concentration of bilirubin in the baby's blood, experts used to prescribe a whole range of measures, which consisted in the introduction of drugs that increase the activity of liver enzymes. Now jaundice is treated with a simpler, but very effective method. The baby is irradiated with special lamps with LEDs. The light wave transforms bilirubin into lumirubin, which dissolves perfectly in liquid and is excreted along with urine.

This method of healing is absolutely harmless for the child and allows you to cope with jaundice in a matter of days. But not all maternity hospitals in our country are equipped with modern devices, so we have to resort to old methods of treatment.

In older children, jaundice is caused by a viral infection. This disease is called hepatitis. Most often, children become infected with hepatitis A or, as it is also called, Botkin's disease. The disease is spread through food or breast milk, saliva, or blood. In this case, the child has all the symptoms that were described above.

In the case of jaundice of an infectious type, the treatment process must necessarily take place in a stationary environment. The kid must comply with bed rest and eat exclusively special dietary food. In this case, all spicy dishes, fried and smoked, are under the strictest prohibition. The child should receive only vegetable fats, as well as protein meals and easily digestible carbohydrates. These products include oatmeal, cottage cheese, compotes, honey and fruit drinks.

To eliminate the poisoning of the body, enterosorbents are prescribed to the baby. To activate the flow of bile, choleretic drugs are used. Vitamin and mineral complexes used to enhance the metabolism in the liver. In addition, a complex of antiviral measures is being carried out under the close supervision of a doctor. After the completion of treatment, any physical activity is contraindicated for the child for another six months.

The consequences of jaundice in children

The condition, explained by physiological reasons, usually goes away without any complications and does not pose a threat to the child's health. This disease disappears within a month. Otherwise, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the baby. If the cause of the development of the disease is pathology, then the consequences can be very serious. This condition requires mandatory medical intervention.

Pathological jaundice lasts more than a month. At the same time, the child's liver and spleen are larger than normal. This is easy to spot upon direct inspection. If you do not take timely measures, then the baby may develop poisoning due to the high concentration of bilirubin. Against the background of this condition, there is a high probability of developing bilirubin encephalopathy or a delay in the development of the baby's psyche, which will become noticeable later.

A high content of bilirubin can lead to albuminemia, and a high permeability of blood vessels in this case will further aggravate the situation. When bilirubin enters the brain, nuclear jaundice occurs. This leads to uncontrolled spasms, deafness, and brain damage. In this case, the baby loses the ability to control his movements, he has frequent and involuntary muscle contractions of the whole body. Brain damage can lead to mental retardation and mental retardation.

With the pathological nature of the disease, recovery occurs only in the case of timely detection of the disease and careful treatment. The physical condition of the baby is also important. A full-term baby who is receiving adequate breastfeeding will recover much faster than premature.