Severe hyperbilirubinemia can induce devastating and permanent neurodevelopmental handicaps in infants. The occurrence of hyperbilirubinemia is higher in late preterm than in term infants, ranging from 8 to 40% of the formers according to different definitions of hyperbilirubinemia. The mechanisms by which this occurs is not completely understood, however an increased bilirubin load on hepatocy...

Bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND) is the constellation of neurologic sequelae following milder degrees of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia than are associated with kernicterus. Clinically, BIND may manifest after the neonatal period as developmental delay, cognitive impairment, disordered executive function, and behavioral and psychiatric disorders. However, there is controversy regard...

Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is the commonest problem in Hong Kong neonates.1 It is most likely to be unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Dramatic change was observed in last three decades with a sharp drop in incidence of kernicterus. This improvement was achieved through the concerted effort of the communi ty, neonato log ists, communi ty medical practitioners, health nurses. Significant effort was p...

Icterus neonatorum, or neonatal jaundice, is defined as a total serum bilirubin level above 5mg/dl. Acute bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus are known to be the two major complications associated with it, resulting in neurotoxic effects, including sensorineural hearing loss, hypotonia, delayed motor skills and intellectual deficits. We report two similar cases of neonatal jaundice requiri...

The authors present the case of a newborn of an Rh-factorsensitized mother, who received early hospital discharge while icteric only to be readmitted at an Emergency Service at five days of age with signs of kernicterus. Despite treatment given, the neonate progressed with a clinical picture of bilirubin encephalopathy. The lack of interaction between the obstetric and neonatal teams, premature...

One hundred and eighty three children suffering from mental retardation were studied over a period of 17 months (December’80 April’82). Mental retardation in 101 cases (5 5.2%) was due to preventable causes i.e. tubercular meningitis, birth trauma, encephalitis, cretinism and kernicterus. Majority of them belonged to lower socio-economic group and had no access to medical facilities, therefore ...