How do I know whether my baby’s bilirubin levels will become too high?
There is a blood test that can measure the amount of bilirubin in your baby’s body, and help doctors tell whether your baby will eventually need treatment. It can be performed when your baby has the regular blood test to screen for metabolic diseases. Doctors can also use a special device that measures the bilirubin in the skin. The health care provider can plot your baby’s result on a graph (Figure 1) if they know exactly how many hours old the baby was when the test was performed. The information should be given to you when you and your baby leave the hospital. If the test suggests that your baby has a higher than average chance of getting to a level of bilirubin that needs treating, your doctor will arrange a follow-up visit with someone who can examine your baby, and will perform another test if it is needed.
