Christine Webb, Your Health and Fitness
The March of Dimes reports six out of 10 newborn babies develop jaundice.
News 13's Christine Webb explains how light therapy can help babies with this condition.
The newborn is blindfolded to protect the eyes during the light therapy.
"Jaundice refers, literally, to the yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes of babies who have high bilirubin levels in their blood," said Dr. Anne Hansen, a neonatologist.
Bilirubin is processed through the liver. In newborns, it takes a few days for an immature liver to break down the chemical.
For most babies, mild jaundice is harmless, doesn't cause any discomfort and goes away within two weeks.
But there is a severe form of the condition.
"If it is left untreated, it goes to very high levels. It can go out of the blood into the brain tissue and cause a very serious kind of brain injury," Hansen said.
Infants may be treated with phototherapy early on to help them excrete bilirubin.
Premature infants are at higher risk for jaundice. So are those who are breast-fed, but mostly babies who aren't nursing well.
One solution is to feed the baby more often and check with a doctor to monitor the child's condition.
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