KERNICTERUS

TYPES

Kernicterus In Babies

Signs of jaundice can be seen within the first few days of a baby’s life. It causes the baby’s skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellowish, which is way more severe.

Also, babies with kernicterus are lethargic, which means they are unusually sleepy. All babies sleep a lot, but lethargic babies sleep even more than the usual, and they are tough to wake up. They often fall right back to sleep when they do wake up.

Kernicterus In Adults

Kernicterus in adults is very rare. Conditions involving kernicterus often affect infants. Adults can develop high bilirubin levels, but somehow, it is not kernicterus.

Conditions causing very high bilirubin levels in adults to include:

Crigler – Najjar syndrome is an inherited condition that makes it harder for the body to break down bilirubin.

Dubin – Johnson Syndrome is a rare and inherited disorder that prevents the body from removing bilirubin but this condition does not cause kernicterus.

Gilbert’s syndrome is when the liver can’t properly process bilirubin.

Rotor syndrome is an inherited disorder that causes bilirubin levels to build up in the blood but this condition also does not cause kernicterus.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of kernicterus in babies include:

• High-pitched crying
• Poorappetite
• Alleviated crying
• Limp body
• Missing reflexes
• Arching of the head and back of the heels
• Uncontrollable movements
• Nausea and vomiting
• Unusual movements of the eyes
• Lack of wet and used diapers
• Fever
• Seizures

If you notice some of these symptoms, immediately see a doctor or take your baby to the hospital.

DIAGNOSIS

Kernicterus is most often diagnosed in babies that are checked by a light meter used to test bilirubin levels. A doctor or nurse will check the baby’s bilirubin levels by placing the light meter on the baby’s head. The light meter tells how much their transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) level is.

If your baby’s transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) level is high, your doctor will order a bilirubin blood test.

TREATMENT

The goal of the treatment for kernicterus is to reduce the amount of unconjugated bilirubin in the body before it gets to levels that cause brain damage.

Patients, mostly babies that have high bilirubin levels, are often treated with phototherapy or light therapy. When during this treatment, the patient’s bare body is exposed to a special light where the light increases the rate at which the body breaks down unconjugated bilirubin.