Can newborns drink glucose water to remove jaundice?

Neonatal jaundice is a common problem that worries many new parents. Jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin in your baby\’s body and manifests as yellow staining of the skin, mucous membranes and eyes. In the process of dealing with neonatal jaundice, a common method is to give the baby glucose water. However, does this approach really work? This article will explore this in depth. First, we need to understand the main types of neonatal jaundice. Neonatal jaundice can be divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice usually appears within a few days of birth because the baby\’s liver\’s ability to process bilirubin is immature. This condition usually does not require special treatment, just wait for the baby\’s liver to develop. Pathological jaundice may be caused by certain diseases or pathological conditions and requires prompt medical treatment. For physiological jaundice, some parents choose to give their babies glucose water, thinking that this will help remove jaundice. However, this practice has no scientific basis. Glucose water has no direct therapeutic effect on neonatal jaundice. It only provides extra calories to the baby. Although heat helps with metabolic activity in your baby\’s body, this does not mean that it directly reduces bilirubin levels or speeds up the resolution of jaundice. In addition, giving your baby glucose water may bring some potential risks. Glucose is a simple sugar that does not need to be broken down in the intestines. It is absorbed directly into the blood and participates in the regulation of blood sugar concentration. Oral glucose water directly affects blood sugar concentration, may put pressure on the pancreatic islets, and may cause damage to the kidneys in the long run. Therefore, unless there are special circumstances such as hypoglycemia, glucose water should not be given to the baby easily. So, how to deal with neonatal jaundice? First, parents should make sure their baby is getting enough feeding. Starting breastfeeding as early as possible and insisting on breastfeeding will help the baby defecate, thereby promoting the excretion of bilirubin. In addition, eating more and more rows can also help reduce bilirubin levels. For pathological jaundice, it is necessary to seek medical treatment promptly, seek help from a doctor, and carry out targeted treatment after clarifying the cause. In short, there is no scientific basis for newborns to drink glucose water to reduce jaundice, but it may bring some potential risks. When dealing with neonatal jaundice, parents should make sure their baby is getting adequate feeding and seek help from a doctor as soon as possible for a clear diagnosis and treatment plan. With scientific care and reasonable treatment, most neonatal jaundice can subside within a short period of time without causing long-term effects on the baby\’s health.