Tag Archives: bilirubin
How Jaundice Led to Cerebral Palsy
Earlier this week we wrote about “The House of Gort,” a 16-minute documentary that features a family with special needs children. All three children were born with jaundice due to their parents’ incompatible blood type, and medical errors caused one daughter to develop cerebral palsy. What is Jaundice? Jaundice occurs when the body fails to expel bilirubin, a waste chemical produced by a reaction inside the liver. It is very common in newborns; the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation says that 90 percent of newborns experience some degree of jaundice in the first few days following birth. Jaundice occurs because the baby must start using its liver for the first time. Until birth, the placenta does the liver’s job. Jaundice Treatments Doctors commonly use a light treatment called phototherapy to balance out the bilirubin. Most babies respond positively to the treatment. Gina, the mother in the film, says phototherapy was effective…
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Posted in Birth Trauma Tagged bilirubin, birth trauma lawyer, brain damage, cerebral palsy, exchange transfusion, jaundice, the house of gort Comments Off on How Jaundice Led to Cerebral Palsy
Liver Condition Can Cause Cerebral Palsy if Undiagnosed
The liver processes many chemicals, including bilirubin, a waste chemical that results from the breakdown of certain cells. Bilirubin causes the yellow tint seen in bruises and urine. Some people have a condition wherein their liver cannot process bilirubin, so it builds up in the bloodstream. This condition is called hyperbilirubinemia, and it can cause jaundice or severe brain damage if left untreated. Occasionally, unborn children develop hyperbilirubinemia while in utero. The placenta is responsible for processing bilirubin, and sometimes the child cannot process it after birth. Fortunately, doctors can easily treat and reverse the condition if they find it early on by employing a mix of phototherapy and blood transfusion. If they fail to find it, however, the child may develop kernicterus, which may cause brain damage or cerebral palsy. Fortunately, kernicterus rates are very low in infants, affecting between .4 and 2.9 instances per 100,000 live births according…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged bilirubin, birth trauma attorneys, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy lawyers, hyperbilirubinemia, kernicterus Comments Off on Liver Condition Can Cause Cerebral Palsy if Undiagnosed
