Jaundice is a common condition in newborns caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Mild jaundice is harmless and usually goes away in one or two weeks without treatment.
Severe jaundice is a medical condition that requires immediate treatment to avoid complications such as neonatal kernicterus. If your child has suffered complications due to the failure to diagnose and treat severe jaundice, contact the attorneys at Hampton & King in Houston.
We offer free consultations to answer your questions and explain your options. You may have the right to seek compensation for your child’s future medical needs.
What Is Jaundice?
When a baby has severe jaundice, high levels of bilirubin can pass into the child’s brain. Bilirubin is toxic and can cause acute bilirubin encephalopathy.
Symptoms of jaundice include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. In severe cases, your baby’s skin will become a deeper shade of yellow, and they may become listless, difficult to wake, or have difficulty feeding.
Prompt treatment of jaundice is necessary to prevent kernicterus.
What Is Kernicterus?
Kernicterus is permanent brain damage that can occur from high levels of bilirubin in the blood.
It can lead to things such as the following:
- Uncontrolled movements or palsy
- Blindness
- Upward or downward gaze
- Hearing loss
- Impaired digestion
Treatment for excessive jaundice includes:
- Light therapy
- Intravenous immunoglobulin
- Exchange transfusion
What Causes Jaundice?
In newborns, several factors can lead to elevated bilirubin levels.
Normal physiological causes include the fact that newborns have more red blood cells than adults, and these cells break down faster. Additionally, a baby’s immature liver may not be efficient enough to process bilirubin quickly, causing it to build up in the blood.
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of severe jaundice include:
- Premature birth, as the liver may be less developed
- Bruising during delivery, which causes more red blood cells to break down
- Blood type incompatibility between mother and baby (ABO or Rh incompatibility)
- Breastfeeding difficulties leading to dehydration or poor feeding
- Family history of jaundice in previous siblings
- Certain ancestry
Medical conditions such as infections, enzyme deficiencies, or problems with the baby’s red blood cells can also cause excessive bilirubin production.
While jaundice itself is a natural condition, kernicterus is preventable with proper medical care. Medical malpractice occurs when healthcare providers fail to:
- Screen newborns for jaundice before discharge
- Recognize warning signs of severe jaundice
- Order appropriate bilirubin level testing
- Provide timely treatment when bilirubin levels are dangerously high
- Schedule proper follow-up appointments for at-risk infants
When doctors and hospitals fail to follow standard protocols for monitoring and treating jaundice, the result can be devastating and permanent brain damage that could have been avoided.
Legal Help for Houston Medical Malpractice Claims
We are devoted to handling cases that involve medical malpractice. Our Houston kernicterus lawyers can analyze the medical records and consult pediatric experts to determine if your doctor did everything he or she should have to prevent kernicterus.
With 70+ years of collective experience and a commitment to provide state-of-the-art legal service, we are ready to help with your Houston birth injury case.
To discuss severe jaundice or other childbirth complications with one of our lawyers, reach out to the Houston office of Hampton & King at (713) 658-0231