We hold a nurse led service for babies over 15 days of age who are still jaundiced.
Your Health Visitor, Midwife or GP may refer you to this clinic for an assessment to see if they need a blood test.
The Prolonged Jaundice Service is run by the Nurses with Dr Vieten-Kay.
We will send you an appointment with details of where to come, a map, a leaflet explaining prolonged jaundice a little more and our telephone number should you wish to contact us.
The NICE guidelines say that a jaundice screen should be done on babies with a gestational age of 37 weeks or more with jaundice lasting more than 14 days, and in babies with a gestational age of less than 37 weeks and jaundice lasting more than 21 days.
We are looking primarily for a very rare liver condition called biliary atresia. However, if your baby does need to come for tests please don't get too anxious. It is normally a breastfeeding jaundice that will go away on its own.
If your baby is unwell and jaundiced you should see your GP.
What to expect at your Prolonged Jaundice appointment
We will take off your baby's clothes and weigh him/her, look at the colour of baby's skin and check the colour of the whites of the eyes.
We will take a history from you about your baby's birth, general health and any concerns you might have.
If we feel the baby is jaundiced we will do a little blood test, usually from the back of the hand.
We normally have the results within a few hours and certainly by the end of the day and will ring you with the results that day. The nurses will fully explain the results to you.
Sometimes babies have to come back in for another blood test.
We fully promote breastfeeding and will reassure you that it is completely safe to continue breastfeeding your baby. Breastfeeding jaundice does not harm your baby.