Questions?What Is Kernicterus?
Kernicterus is a rare but serious type of brain damage from jaundice in a newborn that goes untreated. Jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment made when the body breaks down red blood cells.
In most babies, jaundice is common and treatable. However, if bilirubin levels get too high, the substance can cross into the brain and cause permanent injury.
Kernicterus affects areas of the brain that control movement, hearing, and learning. It can lead to lifelong disabilities like cerebral palsy, a group of movement disorders that has no cure.
Once this type of brain damage occurs, it cannot be reversed, but it can often be prevented with prompt and proper treatment.
When kernicterus could have been avoided, families may be able to take legal action. A kernicterus lawyer can help determine what went wrong and whether medical negligence occurred.
Taking legal action won’t change your child’s diagnosis, but it may provide financial support for long-term care and hold negligent medical providers accountable.
The Birth Injury Justice Center has partnered with lawyers who can help families in all 50 states. Our legal partners have secured over $1 billion for families affected by birth injuries.
Find out if we can help your family by getting a free case review right now.
Kernicterus Signs and Symptoms
Kernicterus symptoms in a baby may appear within the first days after birth or gradually over time. Some signs may be easy to miss at first, but early recognition is critical to preventing further damage.
While newborn jaundice is often easy to manage, kernicterus symptoms usually mean that bilirubin has crossed the blood-brain barrier and begun to cause harm.
These are common kernicterus symptoms in newborn babies:
- Arching of the back or neck (opisthotonus)
- Difficulty feeding or poor sucking reflex
- Floppy or low muscle tone (hypotonia)
- High-pitched crying that sounds abnormal or distressed
- Irritability or excessive or prolonged fussiness
- Lethargy (extreme tiredness) or difficulty waking the baby
- Loss of the startle reflex (Moro reflex)
- Seizures or sudden jerking movements
- Stiff or rigid muscles (can alternate with floppiness)
- Unusual eye movements or downward gaze
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes that worsens or persists
If your newborn infant recently had jaundice and is now displaying any of these behaviors, they could be jaundice brain damage symptoms. Even if you’re unsure what’s normal, contact your child’s doctor right away.
Any sign of kernicterus disease can mean bilirubin has already begun to affect the brain. Early action is critical to limit further damage.
What Causes Kernicterus Disease in Babies?
Kernicterus disease starts with severe jaundice, which is common in newborns but usually easy to treat. It develops only when jaundice is not treated properly or in time, allowing bilirubin to rise to dangerous levels.
In most cases, the causes of kernicterus are avoidable with routine monitoring, timely diagnosis, and appropriate treatment.
These risk factors can increase the chances of severe jaundice:
- Birth trauma that causes significant bruising or bleeding under the skin
- Dehydration or poor feeding, which slows the body’s ability to flush out bilirubin
- Family history of jaundice or blood disorders
- Genetic conditions that affect red blood cell breakdown (such as G6PD deficiency)
- Incompatibility between the baby’s and mother’s blood types
- Neonatal infections present at birth or shortly after
- Premature birth, which can make it harder for the baby’s liver to process bilirubin
- Previous sibling with jaundice requiring treatment
- Severe jaundice appearing within the first 24 hours after birth
These risk factors are well-known to health care providers, and babies with any of them should be closely monitored.
When kernicterus newborn symptoms are missed or treatment is delayed, the result can be permanent brain damage.
If your baby developed kernicterus disease, you may be wondering whether more could have been done to prevent it or if mistakes were made along the way.
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Medical Negligence and Kernicterus
Kernicterus is almost always preventable when neonatal jaundice is recognized and treated in time. Hospitals and providers have a clear responsibility to identify and manage newborns at risk for severe jaundice.
In a U.S. kernicterus registry, 43% of affected infants had no clear medical cause for their dangerously high bilirubin levels, according to research published by the National Library of Medicine. This raises concerns that high bilirubin levels were not identified or treated soon enough.
Therefore, medical malpractice may be to blame if your child developed kernicterus disease after signs of worsening jaundice were ignored or treatment was not provided quickly enough.
Examples of possible medical negligence linked to kernicterus include:
- Delaying a diagnosis of severe jaundice or high bilirubin levels
- Discharging a baby who still showed signs of jaundice
- Failing to provide follow-up care after leaving the hospital
- Ignoring early symptoms like poor feeding, sleepiness, or yellowing skin
- Misinterpreting lab results related to bilirubin levels
- Overlooking risk factors like premature birth or blood type incompatibility
- Withholding phototherapy or other treatments when clearly indicated
Understanding what went wrong is an important first step — for your peace of mind and your child’s future.
An experienced kernicterus lawyer can help you review the facts, determine whether negligence occurred, and find out if your family may be eligible for compensation to support your child’s lifelong care.
If your baby was diagnosed with kernicterus, get a free case review right now.
Diagnosing Kernicterus Disease in Babies
Kernicterus is diagnosed through a combination of blood tests, physical exams, and sometimes hearing or imaging studies. The goal is to confirm dangerously high bilirubin levels and assess whether brain damage has occurred.
Doctors may use the following tests to help diagnose kernicterus:
- Bilirubin level test: Measures how much bilirubin is in the baby’s blood. High levels require close monitoring and urgent treatment
- Transcutaneous bilirubin test: A painless skin scan that estimates bilirubin levels. Abnormal readings often lead to a blood test
- Blood type and Coombs test: Looks for blood type incompatibility between mother and baby, which can raise bilirubin levels
- Complete blood count (CBC): Screens for signs of anemia or infection, which may complicate jaundice
- Reticulocyte count: Checks how quickly the baby is making new red blood cells, which may mean ongoing hemolysis (abnormal red blood cell breakdown)
- Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER): Detects hearing loss, a common sign of kernicterus-related brain damage
- Electrolyte panel: Measures sodium, potassium, and other levels to identify signs of red blood cell breakdown or dehydration
Neurological imaging (ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan) may be used in rare cases when other tests don’t explain the baby’s symptoms.
Quick, accurate testing is critical to prevent or limit brain damage. If your baby’s condition wasn’t diagnosed in time, you may be eligible to file a kernicterus claim for compensation.
How Is Kernicterus Treated?
The main goal is to lower bilirubin levels before they reach the brain. Prompt medical care can make all the difference.
If brain damage has already occurred, treatment can be lifelong and costly — but a kernicterus lawsuit may help families afford the best possible care.
Learn more about how kernicterus disease is treated below.
Phototherapy (Light Therapy)
Light therapy is the most common treatment for newborn jaundice. The baby is placed under special blue lights that help break down excess bilirubin in the skin, allowing it to be removed from the body through urine and stool.
This treatment is painless and typically begins in the hospital shortly after jaundice is diagnosed.
Exchange Transfusion
Exchange transfusion is used when bilirubin levels are dangerously high and phototherapy alone isn’t enough. In this procedure, the baby’s blood is gradually removed and replaced with donor blood.
This process quickly lowers bilirubin levels and reduces the risk of kernicterus disease. It is performed in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) under close monitoring.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG)
IVIG may be used when jaundice is caused by a blood type incompatibility between the baby and the mother, such as Rh or ABO incompatibility. This condition can lead to the rapid breakdown of the baby’s red blood cells, resulting in elevated bilirubin levels.
IVIG is administered through an intravenous (IV) line and can help slow this breakdown, sometimes avoiding the need for an exchange transfusion.
Fiber-Optic (Bili Blanket) Therapy
Fiber-optic phototherapy, also known as a bili blanket, involves wrapping a flexible pad around the baby that emits therapeutic light. Like traditional phototherapy, it helps break down bilirubin, but it offers more flexibility and may be used at home in certain cases.
Bili blankets are typically recommended for babies with mild to moderate jaundice who are otherwise feeding well and medically stable.
Long-Term Effects of Kernicterus
Kernicterus life expectancy is often normal, but children may face lifelong disabilities such as any type of cerebral palsy.
Many children affected by kernicterus and cerebral palsy need extensive daily care and support throughout their lives.
Long-term effects of kernicterus disease may include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Developmental delays
- Hearing loss
- Intellectual impairments
- Seizure disorders (epilepsy)
- Speech and vision problems
Managing these conditions typically requires lifelong support, including ongoing therapy, mobility aids, medical equipment, and daily caregiving.
The cost can be overwhelming for families, especially if a parent has to leave work to provide care on a full-time basis.
If your child’s kernicterus was caused by medical negligence, a lawsuit may help cover these expenses.
Get a free case review right now to find out if your family may qualify for compensation.
Financial Compensation for Kernicterus
If your child developed kernicterus because doctors failed to diagnose or treat jaundice in time, you may be eligible for financial compensation through a kernicterus lawsuit.
This money can help pay for lifelong medical care, therapy, special education, and adaptive equipment. It can also make up for lost income if you must stop working to become a full-time caregiver.
Some kernicterus settlements result in life-changing financial compensation.
A California family secured a $10 million kernicterus settlement after hospital staff gave incorrect discharge instructions in Spanish, leading to untreated jaundice and cerebral palsy.
Kernicterus settlements can provide the financial support families need to give their child the best possible care and quality of life.
Get Legal Help for Kernicterus
If your child developed kernicterus from untreated jaundice, and medical staff failed to act in time, you may be eligible to take legal action.
Children with kernicterus often face lifelong challenges that may require ongoing therapy, medical equipment, and full-time caregiving.
No family should have to carry this burden alone, especially when medical negligence is to blame.
A birth injury lawsuit may help cover the costs of treatment and hold negligent health care providers accountable for their actions.
The Birth Injury Justice Center works with experienced birth injury lawyers who can help families in all 50 states.
Our legal partners have secured more than $1 billion for families affected by preventable birth injuries like kernicterus, and they may be able to help your family, too.
Call us at (800) 914-1562 right now or fill out our case review form to see if we may be able to help you seek the justice and compensation your family deserves.
Kernicterus FAQs
What is kernicterus?
Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that can happen when a newborn’s jaundice isn’t treated in time. It occurs when a substance called bilirubin builds up to dangerous levels and spreads into the brain, causing lasting harm.
Kernicterus is rare and almost always preventable with proper care. If your child developed this life-threatening condition, medical negligence may have occurred.
Get a free case review to find out if you could be eligible for financial compensation.
What is the difference between kernicterus and jaundice?
Jaundice is common in newborns and usually harmless when treated. It causes a yellow tint to the skin and eyes due to excessive bilirubin.
Kernicterus is a serious complication of untreated jaundice. It means the bilirubin has entered the brain and caused permanent damage.
If you have questions about your child’s condition, we have labor and delivery nurses on staff who are here to help.
Call us right now at (800) 914-1562 to talk to an experienced registered nurse at no cost.
When should I be concerned about my baby's jaundice?
Jaundice can be normal in newborns, but certain signs may point to a serious problem.
Call your doctor right away if your baby:
- Appears yellow
- Cries with a high-pitched or unusual sound
- Feels limp or stiff
- Has dark urine or very pale stool
- Isn’t feeding well
- Seems unusually sleepy
These symptoms may point to dangerous bilirubin levels. Early treatment can protect your baby from brain damage.
What are the signs of kernicterus?
Signs of kernicterus may include extreme sleepiness, weak sucking, a high-pitched cry, floppy or stiff muscles, and arching of the back or neck.
Over time, kernicterus can lead to hearing loss, movement problems (like cerebral palsy), and developmental delays.
What causes kernicterus disease?
Kernicterus is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in a baby’s blood that reaches the brain. This can happen when severe jaundice isn’t treated or when treatment is delayed.
Risk factors include premature birth, blood type incompatibility, bruising during birth, and poor feeding.
Acute bilirubin encephalopathy is the early stage of brain damage that can lead to kernicterus if not treated. Chronic bilirubin encephalopathy is the medical term for long-term brain injury caused by kernicterus.
Can you prevent kernicterus?
Yes, in most cases, kernicterus is entirely preventable. Health care providers are trained to recognize the signs of severe jaundice and should monitor bilirubin levels closely.
When jaundice is diagnosed and treated early, it rarely leads to brain damage. If kernicterus occurs, it may be a sign that medical care was delayed or missed.
If your child developed kernicterus, you may be able to receive money for their care by filing a birth injury claim.
Call us at (800) 914-1562 right now or Click to Live Chat to see if we can help you pursue the financial support your child may need.
What level of bilirubin causes brain damage?
The risk of brain damage increases when bilirubin levels rise above 20 mg/dL in full-term babies. In preemies, damage can occur at lower levels. The exact threshold varies, but early monitoring and treatment are key to preventing harm.
How long do babies stay under bili lights?
Most babies require phototherapy under bili lights for 1 to 2 days, but the duration depends on the level of bilirubin and the body’s response.
Some babies may need multiple sessions or continued treatment at home using a fiber-optic bili blanket.
Can I hold my baby during phototherapy?
Yes, but usually only during short breaks from the lights. Continuous exposure to phototherapy is important, so holding your baby may be limited to feeding or comfort breaks. Always follow your medical team’s guidance.
