jaundice

Jaundice in newborn babies and how to treat it.

When the baby is born, the first thing that the doctor and the staff notice is the color of the skin because the color of the skin signifies that all the organs of the body are functioning properly and oxygen is properly supplied to all the organs.
Jaundice is becoming very common in new born babies. It refers to the yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. A yellow cast to the skin starting on the baby’s head and moving down to the toes. Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells. New born babies produce more bilirubin as they have a better turnover of red blood cells. The liver of the new born baby is not fully developed and is still developing and it is not able to remove the adequate bilirubin from the blood. Also. large amount of bilirubin is reabsorbed from the intestines before the baby gets rid of it in the stool.

Generally babies develop jaundice after two to four days of birth. Jaundice can also occur as a result of rhesus incompatibility for example when a mother with rhesus negative blood gives birth to rhesus positive blood.

- Breastfeed your child regularly: Due to the lack of breast milk, many infants develop jaundice. Breastfeed your child after every 2-3 hrs. Feed your child atleast 8-10 times a day whether breast feed or bottle feed.
- Expose baby to sunlight as much as possible but be careful about the sunburns.
- Phototherapy is another way to treat jaundice. In phototherapy, a child is given light with several light lamps.

Types of Jaundice in children

- Physiological (normal) jaundice: It generally appears at 2 to 4 days of age and disappears by 1 to 2 weeks of age. It is due to the immaturity of the baby’s liver, which leads to a slow processing of bilirubin.
- Jaundice of prematurity: occurs frequently in premature babies since they are even less ready to excrete bilirubin effectively.
- Breastfeeding jaundice: Jaundice can occur when a breastfeeding baby is not getting enough breast milk.
The jaundice in newborn babies sometimes can become serious and dangerous. If not treated well, it may cause seizures and brain damage.

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Natural home remedies for the treatment of Jaundice

Jaundice is the yellowish discoloration of dermis and the whites of the eyes. This is caused by a build-up of a substance called bilirubin. When there is an excessive circulation of the bile pigments in the blood, then this disease is caused. It can be caused by acute hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, yellow fever, typhoid and hindrance of bile ducts. Extreme fatigue/weakness, fever, constipation, intense itching in liver, yellow discoloration of nails, urine and eye are few symptoms of jaundice.

- Consume lot of lime juice.
- Take half teaspoon of papaya leaves paste with honey.
- Mix 1/4 tsp pf turmeric powder in a glass of water and consume everyday.
- Consume juice of green radish leaves everyday to treat jaundice.
- Drink one or two glasses of sugar cane daily.
- Consume half cup beetroot juice for treating jaundice in a short span.
- Regular drinking of a cup of buttermilk with a pinch of black pepper treats jaundice.
- Eat 1-2 tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice daily on an empty stomach.
- Daily intake of 1 cup of bitter gourd is very beneficial in jaundice treatment.
- Add calcium and iron in your diet.
- Mix 15 gm of snake gourd leaves in 250 ml of boiling water. A decoction of coriander seeds can be prepared by boiling one tablespoon of coriander seeds in 500 ml of water till it is reduced by one-third. The infusion should be given in doses of 30 to 60 ml, mixed with the decoction of coriander seeds, thrice daily.
- A mixture of almonds, dried dates, and. cardamoms is regarded as an effective remedy for jaundice.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat lot of green leafy vegetables and fruits.
- Orange juice, sugarcane juice and barley water should be taken.
- Mash a ripe banana along with 1 tablespoon honey and eat twice a day for a few days.
- Frequently take 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice with 1 teaspoon each fresh lime and mint juice mixed with a tablespoon of honey.
- Grind leaves of bel leaves and drink the juice.
- Juice of bitter luffa is a good treatment for jaundice.
- The juice extracted from the green leaves of pigeon pea should be taken in doses of 60 ml daily.
- Take 4 grams of Indian gooseberry with a glass of water. Have this thrice a day for about 20 days.

Herbal treatments for Jaundice

- Chamomile is an herb that is useful for curing the patients.
- All parts of the chicory plant are useful in the treatment of liver ailments.
- The root of the gokulakanta plant is potent in the treatment of liver diseases such as jaundice and hepatitis.
- Indian aloe is an excellent remedy for liver problems such as jaundice.
- Picrorrhiza is one of the two best Ayurvedic remedies for jaundice.
- Ayurvedic herbal supplements for jaundice include Kumariasava, Liverol syrup, Bhumiamla capsules and Punarnana Mandoor.

Dietary Considerations

- Intake of dairy products like cheese and milk should be cut down.
- Oils, fried foods, butter, turmeric, spicy food, pickles and sour products should be avoided in case of suffering from jaundice.

Jaundice – Types, Signs, Causes and Symptoms

Jaundice, also referred to as icterus, is the yellow staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) by abnormally high blood levels of the bile pigment, bilirubin. The yellowing extends to other tissues and body fluids and also may turn the urine dark.
The liver secretes bile juice containing pigments which when absorbed in the bloodstream due to liver malfunction, causes deposits in layers of skin and body giving a yellow color.

Types of Jaundice
- Obstructive : It is caused by some form of obstruction like gall stones or cancer that prevents the bile produced from reaching the intestines.
- Hepatocellular : It occurs when liver cells are damaged or diseased and are unable to process bilirubin, causing it to accumulate in the blood stream.
- Hemolytic : It occurs because of high bilirubin levels in the blood. These high levels of waste produce exceed the liver’s ability to process and transport it, and can cause the symptoms of jaundice.

Symptoms of Jaundice

- Extreme weakness.
- Headache and fever.
- Loss of appetite.
- Severe constipation.
- Nausea.
- Yellow, discoloration of eyes, tongue, skin and urine.
- Dull pain in the liver region.
- Intense itching.

Causes of Jaundice

- Jaundice is caused by excessive amounts of bilirubin.
- Jaundice usually is caused by liver dysfunction or blockage of the bile ducts leading from the liver to the small bowel.
- Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, Liver cirrhosis, Hepatitis E, Obstruction of bile ducts, Gallstones, Pancreatic cancer, Alcoholic liver disease, Inflammation of the liver, Haemolytic anaemia, Typhoid, Malaria, Yellow fever, Tuberculosis, Certain medication, Pregnancy can be few causes of jaundice.