Friday, March 30, 2018

Baby's photo on Imgur makes commenter think she may have hyperbilirubinemia


B3RTO / Imgur



Parents can't help but share pictures of their newborn children through every means possible. While some might tire of this practice, it allowed one pediatrician to share some vital information that kept a newborn girl out of a dangerous situation.

A Reddit user named vespera23 was browsing baby photos when she noticed an adorable newborn picture a dad had posted of his daughter making a hilariously upset face after her first bath.

"Are her eyes a bit yellow? Looks a bit like it to me, but the whole picture is a bit yellow tinted," vespera23 wrote. "Probably fine, but jaundice is a symptom of hyperbilirubinemia in babies, which is very common in the first few days/week of life. If her eyes/skin looks yellow IRL and she hasn't seen a doc she could probably use a checkup. Source: I'm a paranoid pediatrician."

The yellow skin comes as a result of an immature liver, according to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. The liver uses a stool to remove bilirubin in the blood. Babies experience irritability, low temperatures, and difficulty feeding if it is not addressed.

Vespera23's concerns were well-placed. The posting father responded that the baby had in fact been diagnosed with jaundice and was under the care of a pediatrician.



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