Andrew is a bit jaundiced. The pediatrician wanted to see Andrew at four days. This is his first visit to the doctor's office. There will be many more to come!
The test results came back with some worrisome news. His bilirubin levels had gone from 6.3 at discharge to 17+ in two days. The doctor wanted us to go in to the emergency room. So... back to the hospital we went. Andrew had two heel-sticks today. That's how they draw the blood for the bilirubin test. He took it very much in stride, although it broke our hearts to see him bleeding. The second test showed 17.3 - the level didn't rise since the afternoon. That was good enough for the doctor to send us home without further treatment. The jaundice should get better over the next few weeks - we'll have to keep an eye on it for now.
ps - I hit the web hard for information on jaundice. It's caused by baby's immature liver not being able to break down bilirubin, a by-product of red blood cell regeneration. When the levels are high, a condition called hyperbilirubinemia, baby beings to turn yellow, starting from the head and working its way down. If the levels are too high, the bilirubin begins to deposit on the brain, leading to a variety of ailments, including deafness, blindness, paralysis, and even death. A common treatment for hyperbilirubinemia is exposure to strong blue lights, commonly called bililights. Bilirubin breaks down in light into a substance that's water soluable, and therefore is able to be expelled through urine. In extreme cases, a blood transfusion is necessary to reduce bilirubin levels. At four days, the level at which light therapy should be considered is 17. Light therapy is recommended at 21. We were on the borderline, but since the levels were stable, it was decided that no treatment was necessary. If you're interested, here's
a great article on hyperbilirubinemia.
