Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and the sclera or whites of the eyes. It is not a disease but only a sign to many other different diseases. Jaundice is caused by the high level of chemical bilirubin in the blood. Depending on the level of the chemical, the yellow pigmentation of the skin and the sclera may vary. When it is too high, it could appear as brown and not yellow.

Causes Of Jaundice

Babies are born with a generous supply of red blood cells, which help transport oxygen. Over time, these red blood cells break down, forming bilirubin in the process.

Bilirubin is normally transported to the liver, where it's processed before being eliminated from the body. But newborns initially have more bilirubin than their livers can handle, and the excess causes their skin and, sometimes, the whites of their eyes to turn yellow. This type of jaundice, called physiologic jaundice, typically appears on the second or third day of life.

Jaundice occurs when there is 1) too much bilirubin being produced for the liver to remove from the blood. (For example, patients with hemolytic anemia have an abnormally rapid rate of destruction of their red blood cells that releases large amounts of bilirubin into the blood), 2) a defect in the liver that prevents bilirubin from being removed from the blood, converted to bilirubin/glucuronic acid (conjugated) or secreted in bile, or 3) blockage of the bile ducts that decreases the flow of bile and bilirubin from the liver into the intestines

Symptoms of jaundice

Jaundice makes your skin and the whites of your eyes turn a yellowy colour. This may look a bit like a suntan. In people with dark skin, jaundice can be noticed in the whites of the eyes.

Depending on what is causing your jaundice, you may have other symptoms such as tiredness, abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting and fever.

Treatment of Jaundice

Berberis is a very effective herb for all kinds of liver ailments, especially jaundice. So effective is the herb that it is nicknamed ‘jaundice berry’. It is a bitter tonic which must be given to a jaundice patient several times a day in does of quarter teaspoons. The fluid extract of the fruit also has similar properties.

If your newborn is diagnosed with breastfeeding jaundice, your health care provider may suggest more frequent feedings, or alternating breastfeeding and formula bottles. And if breast-milk jaundice seems to be the problem, you may need to stop breastfeeding for 48 hours and supply your infant with formula during that time.

If your doctor has advised sunbathing for your jaundiced baby, expose him to indirect sunlight for not more than 20 minutes as baby skin is very tender and sunburn can occur very easily. Expose your baby only to the morning sun (and indirectly) when there is less heat.