Jaundice in newborns in Singapore is extremely common and generally nothing to worry too much about if the bilirubin levels are within limits.

You can check if your baby has jaundice by conducting a simple test. All you have to do is press lightly on your child’s forehead or nose and look at the colour of their skin. If the spot you press down on appears yellow, your child might have mild jaundice.

In most cases, jaundice in babies is temporary and causes little to no health issues. That said, it is best to err on the side of caution and consult a healthcare practitioner to check your child’s bilirubin levels.

Babysteps Medical provides home visits for jaundice checks and advise for home phototherapy in Singapore.

Jaundice is primarily caused by excess bilirubin, a pigment that turns the skin yellow.

In the human body, new blood is perpetually being made, while old blood is destroyed. As these red blood cells are being broken down, the body produces the pigment biliburin, which travels to the liver to be processed and later leaves the body with one’s feces.

However, newborns do not have fully developed livers. As such, they are unable to process and get rid of excess bilirubin.

On top of liver immaturity, there are several risk factors that may exacerbate the need for newborn jaundice treatment. Some risks include:

- Blood incompatibility: If mother and child have different blood types, antibodies leak into the baby’s bloodstream, leading to a more rapid breakdown of red blood cells.
- Bruising during birth: If a newborn gets bruised during the delivery process, their red blood cells break down more rapidly. As such, they experience higher levels of bilirubin.
- Breastfeeding: Insufficient milk intake (e.g. due to inability to nurse well) causes bilirubin levels to rise.

While neonatal jaundice is typically a mild and temporary condition, do still watch out for signs of severe jaundice.

Some symptoms include:
- Bright yellow or orange skin
- High-pitched crying
- Extreme sleepiness, difficulty waking up even during feeding times
- Inability to nurse well
- Extreme fussiness

If your baby exhibits any of these symptoms, do consult your healthcare provider for assistance and phototherapy jaundice treatment. Untreated severe jaundice may result in developmental brain damage, causing conditions such as cerebral palsy and deafness.