Jaundice in babies is very common, but will only lead to brain damage or 'kernicterus' when the bilirubin levels in the blood get so high that it starts to cross over from the blood and become deposited in the brain. Luckily, kernicterus is extremely rare nowadays due to advances in antenatal and postnatal medical management of women and their at-risk babies.
Dr Elia Maalouf is generally regarded as one of the most experienced General Paediatricians and Neonatologists in the UK. He is also the Editor-in-Chief for the medical research journal, Early Human Development and therefore also one of the best qualified doctors to head this section on jaundice. His article explains the symptoms of this common condition and is a highly authoritative overview of the latest thinking on treatment choices. Jaundice is a common condition in newborn babies and in most cases will cause no harm. However, we all need to understand this condition so that the few babies who are at risk of developing serious complications can be identified and treated promptly.
