Mild jaundice appearing after 24 hours of birth, peaking around days three to five, and fading by two weeks is physiological and does not usually require treatment.
The following patterns are not normal and require prompt paediatric evaluation:
- Jaundice appearing within the first 24 hours of birth
- Jaundice that is deepening rapidly rather than fading
- Yellow discolouration extending to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- Jaundice persisting beyond two weeks in a full-term baby
- Jaundice accompanied by pale or chalky stools and dark urine, which may indicate a liver problem
- Any degree of jaundice in a baby who is also feeding poorly, lethargic, or feverish
- At home, press gently on your baby's forehead or nose in natural daylight and observe the colour beneath. If you see yellow
- spreading below the chest or onto the abdomen, seek a bilirubin measurement the same day rather than waiting.
Written by Dr Rajendra Pathak, MBBS (Motilal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad), MD Pediatrics (Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi), Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Founder-Director, Vatsalya Children's Hospital, Mahavir Road, Orderly Bazar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002.
