Jaundice

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/jaundice

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the medical term?Jaundice is also known as icterus
2. What is the neonatal jaundice prevalence?Approximately 80% of newborns experience jaundice in their first week of life
3. Why do newborn babies often get jaundice?Newborns have more red blood cells that break down quickly, and their livers are still learning how to process bilirubin, so it can build up and make their skin yellow.
4. What can make jaundice dangerous for babies?If the yellowing is too strong, it can harm the baby's brain and cause a serious problem called kernicterus, so doctors treat it with light therapy or a special blood exchange.

Hyperbilirubinemia: An abnormally high level of bilirubin in the blood, leading to jaundice.
Hepatic Conjugation: The process in the liver where bilirubin is chemically altered to make it water-soluble for excretion.
Phototherapy: A medical treatment using specific wavelengths of light to break down excess bilirubin in newborns.