Ludhiana, May 5
“While jaundice in infants is usually harmless, it may turn fatal if ignored and not treated in time,” said Dr Puneet Aulakh Pooni, Consultant Paediatrician of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, in her lecture on ‘Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia’ during a seminar organised here yesterday by the National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA).
Neonatal jaundice clinically manifests as yellow colouration of the skin and the slera which, Dr Pooni said, might prove to be life-threatening if not treated in time. Parents should get their new-borns examined by a doctor if symptoms of the disease appear.
‘‘The immaturity of the liver cells and lack of enzyme transferase in infants leads to a rise in the level of indirect bilirubin in the blood. Indirect bilirubin is toxic for the tissues of the brain and the heart. Physiological jaundice is also caused due to a similar mechanism and is harmless upto certain level,’’ said Dr Pooni.
She said the symptoms took 2-4 days to appear and usually disappeared within 10-12 days. Any symptoms appearing within 24 hours and achieving peak level within a short span of time are not of physiological jaundice, but pathological jaundice. It has to be taken seriously, or it may prove fatal. It may be in the form of haemolytic jaundice, obstructive jaundice or hepatogenous jaundice.
Family history of hepatitis in mother, prolonged use of toxic drugs in pregnancy, mother with ‘O’ blood group, Rh incompatibility of father and mother and the G6PD deficiency in baby may lead to jaundice among infants. Its symptoms are that the baby becomes sluggish and refuses to take feed in minor physiological jaundice. Vomiting, fever, abdominal distension and diarrhoea may occur.
The treatment was phototherapy and exchange blood transfusion.
Earlier, Dr Ravinder Nath Seth and Ms Randhawa of Seth Hospital welcomed Dr Pooni, Dr Rajesh Thapar, Dr Surendra Gupta, Dr K.K. Kharbanda and the guest delegates.
Dr Sarjeewan Sharma, Dr Ranbeer Singh, Dr Satinder Kakkar, Dr P.P. Singh, Dr Saggar and Dr Inder Sharma were prominent among the delegates. Dr K.K. Sharma, a former treasurer of NIMA Punjab presented a vote of thanks.
