Newborns With Jaundice Develop Normally

The researchers followed the children up to five years of age, measuring intelligence quotient (IQ), performing neurologic exams, and interviewing parents. They found no significant difference between jaundiced and control newborns in IQ or behavior, or in the proportion of children with abnormal neurologic examinations or with neurologic diagnoses. The study was published in the May 4, 2006, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"These are reassuring results,” said Thomas B. Newman, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics and biostatistics at UCSF and the lead investigator of the study. Our research shows that when severe jaundice is detected and treated properly, we can prevent long-term neurological problems.

Levels of 30 mg/dl or more can lead to a rare condition called kernicterus, which can cause deafness, cerebral palsy, brain damage, or even death. The usual treatment for infants with elevated bilirubin levels (higher than 15 mg/dl) is phototherapy. The baby is exposed to bright light that is absorbed through the skin, altering the bilirubin and making it easier for the baby's liver to get rid of it.



Related Links:
University of California San Francisco
Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research