What is Jaundice?
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes seen often in newborns. Up to 60 % of term infants and 80% of preterm infants experience Jaundice. Most cases are caused by an immature liver’s ability to process bilirubin (a yellow pigment of red blood cells) which builds up and causes jaundice. Jaundice is easily treated with phototherapy which is the use of artificial lights to aid in the body’s metabolism of the bilirubin.
A 2010 study found a 67% higher incidence of autism of those babies who had jaundice. Interestingly the study also found:
“Among children who developed autism, those born in the fall and winter were almost twice as likely to have had jaundice following birth as those born in the spring and summer.”
This finding makes us wonder about the Vitamin D status of the infant and the mother since other studies have found a correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and low Vitamin D status and Autism.
If your child or infant is experiencing any symptoms of jaundice, speak with your pediatrician right away and have them investigate their liver function and bilirubin status. High levles of bilirubin are linked to brain damage and a condition called kernicterus, so your concerns should be taken seriously and investigated by laboratory testing.