Specialties & Conditions Jaundice
Jaundice in Childhood
What Is Childhood Jaundice?
Jaundice causes a yellow tint to your child’s skin and the whites of their eyes. It’s a sign of too much bilirubin, a yellow liver bile pigment, in your child’s blood. Jaundice in children can be a symptom of another condition that requires medical treatment. There may be a problem with your child’s liver, pancreas or gallbladder. Certain blood disorders, genetic conditions and metabolic disorders also cause jaundice.
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What Is the Difference Between Childhood Jaundice and Newborn Jaundice?
Jaundice in newborns is common. It typically occurs soon after childbirth and causes mild symptoms. While most cases of newborn jaundice improve on their own, some infants need medical care. Your baby should always see their provider to be certain.
Childhood jaundice appears after the newborn stage and is less common. It can be a sign that your child has a health condition that requires immediate medical attention. Another term for childhood jaundice is pediatric jaundice.
What Causes Jaundice in Children?
Bilirubin forms when old red blood cells break down. Your child’s liver processes bilirubin in bile, a digestive fluid that leaves the body when they poop. Different conditions, and some medications, can affect how well your child’s body gets rid of bilirubin.
Liver Diseases That Cause Childhood Jaundice
These liver conditions are a common cause of jaundice in children:
- Biliary atresia
- Cholestasis
- Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)
- Hepatitis
- Liver cancer (hepatoblastoma)
- Liver failure
Other Causes of Childhood Jaundice
These conditions can also cause jaundice in children:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Blood disorders, such as anemia and sickle cell disease
- Gallstones
- Genetic disorders, such as Alagille syndrome
- Hormone disorders, such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism
- Infections
- Metabolic disorders
- Pancreatitis
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Jaundice in Children?
Noticing a yellow-orange coloring on your child is a classic jaundice symptom. This yellow tint may affect the:
- Palms of their hands and soles of their feet
- Skin (starting with their face and going down to their chest and lower limbs)
- Skin underneath their fingernails and toenails
- Whites of their eyes (sclera)
Symptoms That May Occur With Jaundice
A child with jaundice is likely to have symptoms of the condition that’s causing bilirubin to build up. Symptoms that may occur with jaundice include:
- Abdominal pain
- Confusion
- Dark pee and pale poop
- Fatigue
- Fever and chills
- Itchy skin
- Nausea and vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss or failure to thrive
How Is Jaundice in Children Diagnosed?
If your child has jaundice, their pediatrician may order tests to measure bilirubin levels. Your child may see a pediatric liver disease specialist (hepatologist) at Lurie Children’s for additional tests and care.
Tests for childhood jaundice include:
- Bilirubin blood test: This blood test measures the amount of bilirubin in your child’s blood. It also determines the type of bilirubin, which helps aid diagnosis. Unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin forms during the breakdown of red blood cells. Conjugated (direct) bilirubin is processed in the liver.
- Liver function tests: These blood tests measure liver enzymes and other substances made by the liver. They can help detect liver disease.
- Imaging tests: An ultrasound, MRI or CT scan provides images of organs. These medical imaging (radiology) tests can help your child’s doctor detect an enlarged liver, gallstones and other issues that cause jaundice.
How Is Childhood Jaundice Treated?
Your child’s treatment depends on the underlying condition causing the jaundice. At Lurie Children’s, your child receives the highest level of care from our pediatric hepatologists. These doctors specialize in conditions that affect a child’s liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. Depending on the cause, your child may need medications, surgery or a combination of treatments.
What Is Lurie Children’s Approach to Caring for Children With Jaundice?
At Lurie Children’s, your child receives expert care at the top-rated children’s hospital in Illinois, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.
Your child benefits from:
- Dedicated Pediatric Liver Center: Experts at our dedicated Pediatric Liver Center provide comprehensive treatments for children with jaundice caused by liver diseases. Some children need lifelong care. Our team of experts partners with your family to protect your child’s health.
- Advanced liver procedures: Our Comprehensive Hepatobiliary Surgery Program is internationally recognized for expertise in treating rare, complex liver and bile duct conditions. Our doctors helped develop some of the surgical techniques widely used today.
- Pediatric liver transplants: Children with liver failure may receive a liver transplant at our Pediatric Transplant Center. As the state’s largest and most experienced Pediatric Liver Transplantation Program, we offer exceptional liver transplant results.
- Research and clinical trials: Our doctors are active in hepatology research and clinical trials to find new ways to diagnose and treat conditions that cause jaundice in children. Your child may benefit from promising therapies still in development.
Pediatric Liver Center at Lurie Children’s
Specialists at the Pediatric Liver Center at Lurie Children’s have deep expertise in diagnosing and treating common and complex liver conditions that cause childhood jaundice. We’re one of the nation’s leading pediatric medical centers for children with acute hepatitis and liver failure. Our comprehensive treatments include advanced liver surgeries and liver transplants. Your family receives supportive care through each step of your child’s medical journey.