Why Is the Baby Sunbathing? An Overview of Jaundice

Have you ever seen a small baby with yellow skin or eyes? These babies have a skin condition called jaundice and it is actually pretty common. Jaundice occurs when too much of a waste substance called bilirubin stays in the blood for too long. Bilirubin is produced when red blood cells naturally break down and, in high amounts, it can cause damage to the body. The most common way doctors identify jaundice is the finger test: gently touching the baby’s skin with their finger to look for any yellowing. If the baby does have jaundice, there are two main treatments: ultraviolet (UV) light therapy and exchange transfusion therapy. Both work by bringing bilirubin in the blood down to normal levels.