Screen newborns for jaundice before discharge, paediatricians tell mothers

Child health experts are calling for mandatory screening of all newborns for jaundice before they leave the hospital. They emphasize that early detection is crucial to prevent permanent neurological damage, cerebral palsy, and even death.

Neonatal jaundice, characterized by yellowing of the skin and eyes, is preventable and treatable. However, many Nigerian newborns suffer and die from the condition due to missed symptoms, inadequate testing, delayed care, and ineffective home treatments. Experts identified ABO blood group incompatibility, Rhesus factor incompatibility, G6PD deficiency, prematurity, and infection as primary causes.

Babies with these risk factors need daily bilirubin level checks before discharge. Any newborn showing signs of jaundice must receive immediate treatment. Parents are also urged to monitor their babies closely at home for yellowing of the eyes or skin, poor feeding, or unusual crying, and to seek medical attention promptly.

The experts also cautioned against harmful traditional practices like exposing newborns to sunlight or administering glucose water, antibiotics, or herbal mixtures, stating these can worsen the condition. Hospitals are urged to make jaundice screening, particularly the bilirubin test, a non-negotiable part of newborn care.

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Neonatal jaundice is preventable, and it’s treatable. But delays in recognition cause brain damag