Kernicterus

Queens Kernicterus Attorney

Because No Baby Should Develop Brain Damage from Untreated Jaundice

Kernicterus is a rare but serious complication that is devastatingly easy to prevent. When doctors leave jaundice untreated in infants, bilirubin can accumulate and damage the brain or central nervous system. In the United States, checking for jaundice is standard in the first 48 hours of a baby’s life, and doctors usually check again before the baby turns 5 days old.

If medical professionals fail to check for, diagnose, or treat jaundice, an infant can sustain serious damage to the brain and spinal cord. Kernicterus, or bilirubin encephalopathy, can also lead to neonatal death.

This condition is unacceptable. If your child has been harmed or killed by kernicterus, the Law Office of David A. Kates can pursue justice on your behalf.

Call us at (718) 866-3664 to get started.

What Is Bilirubin?

Bilirubin is a brownish-yellow substance found in bile, which are the acids that help your body digest fats. Your body produces bilirubin when your liver breaks down old red blood cells, and your body removes it when you go to the bathroom. Before babies are born, their mothers’ livers remove bilirubin on their behalf, but after birth, the baby’s liver must remove bilirubin by itself.

Sometimes, the baby’s liver is not developed enough to perform this task, and bilirubin starts to build up. When babies have too much bilirubin in their body, their skin and the whites of their eyes begin to turn yellow. This is called jaundice.

About Jaundice

Infant jaundice is very common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 60% of babies have jaundice. The term “jaundice” refers to the yellow coloring of the skin and eyes that appears when there is too much bilirubin in the bloodstream. As a condition, jaundice usually appears on the face, then moves down.

To treat jaundice in babies, doctors simply place the infant under special lights that help them break down and excrete bilirubin. Sometimes, they also recommend enhanced nutrition, and in certain cases, infants undergo intravenous immunoglobulin (a blood protein that helps reduce bilirubin) and/or a blood transfusion.

Visit MayoClinic.org to learn more about how infant jaundice is treated.

If your child develops kernicterus because a doctor fails to treat their jaundice, call our Queens kernicterus lawyer immediately. 

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