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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor will likely diagnose infant jaundice on the basis of your baby's appearance. However, it's not possible to judge the severity of jaundice based on appearance alone. Your doctor will need to measure the level of bilirubin in your baby's blood. The level of bilirubin, or severity of jaundice, will determine the course of treatment.
The tests for bilirubin levels include:
- A laboratory test of a sample of your baby's blood
- A skin test with a device called a transcutaneous bilirubinometer, which measures the reflection of a special light shone through the skin
Your doctor may order additional blood tests or urine tests if there's evidence that your baby's jaundice is caused by an underlying disorder that needs to be treated.
- Piazza A, et al. Digestive system disorders. In: Kliegman R, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/121716574-3/807466544/1608/324.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2009.
- Questions and answers: Jaundice and your newborn. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/family/Jaundice_English.pdf. Accessed Feb. 25, 2009.
- Moerschel SK, et al. A practical approach to neonatal jaundice. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1255.
- Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics. 2004;114:297.
- Cohen SM. Jaundice in the full-term newborn. Pediatric Nursing. 2006;32:202.
- Maisels MJ, et al. Phototherapy for neonatal jaundice. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;358:920.
