Submit your Medical Malpractice claim details for a free, no obligation case review.
Get Started:
Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that is inflicted on an otherwise healthy infant. It is completely preventable with the proper medical care. Kernicterus had all but ceased to exist in the United States by the 1970s, due to advances in healthcare, but pediatric experts later changed the treatment guidelines for jaundice, the condition that underlies kernicterus, and cases of kernicterus have begun to appear again.
The Cause of Kernicterus
About 60% of all babies have some degree of jaundice, a condition that is manifested as yellow-toned skin and whites of the eyes. Jaundice develops when the baby's liver is not developed enough to remove bilirubin (a yellow-green byproduct of the normal breakdown of red blood cells).
Most of the time, the jaundice goes away without treatment. When the level of bilirubin is too high for the baby to deal with, phototherapy with blue lights may be prescribed. If the phototherapy does not adequately bring down the bilirubin level, a transfusion of blood may help.
Untreated Jaundice
A major problem underlying the development of kernicterus is the guidelines for deciding when to treat jaundice. If a baby has jaundice for too long, or if the jaundice is severe and is not treated, kernicterus may develop, and kernicterus can cause:
Risk Factors for Jaundice
Some babies have a greater risk of developing jaundice (and therefore a greater risk of suffering from kernicterus) compared to other infants. Risk factors for jaundice are:
Contact a Kernicterus Lawyer for More Information
If your baby has jaundice or kernicterus and you suspect that his or her medical care has not been adequate, contact a kernicterus lawyer in your area to discuss your options. The development of kernicterus is sometimes due to medical malpractice.