Diseases

Kernicterus

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Kernicterus is a rare kind of preventable brain damage that can happen in newborns with jaundice. Jaundice is a yellow coloring of the skin and other tissues that affects about 60%-80% of infants in the united states. It happens when babies build up too much of a chemical called bilirubin in their blood.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms associated with the early stage of kernicterus include:

Poor feeding and sucking.
Excessive jaundice.
Hypotonia.
Fatigue and lethargy.

CAUSES

When severe jaundice goes untreated for too long, it can cause a condition called kernicterus. Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that can result from high levels of bilirubin in a baby's blood. It can cause athetoid cerebral palsy and hearing loss.