A Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist, Prof. Edamisan Temiye of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba has cautioned mothers against treating their newborns who have jaundice with antibiotics.
Prof. Temiye said this during an interview with journalists in Lagos Monday.
He stressed that though neonatal jaundice is completely preventable, it is still causing death and irreversible damage to newborns.
According to him, neonatal jaundice can’t be treated with antibiotics, warning that mismanaging the condition could lead to brain damage in newborns.
The paediatrician said instead of giving the baby antibiotics, the baby should be taken to the hospital for appropriate treatment.”
He also asked mothers to stop giving their babies local concoctions when they have jaundice, noting that mismanaged jaundice causes assault on the brain of the child.
The paediatrician said, “Some of the causes of cerebral palsy may be genetic but most of them are caused by what happened in our environment. Cerebral palsy is an assault to the brain.
“The commonest cause of cerebral palsy in our environment is jaundice in babies which is completely preventable. Jaundice in the first week of life can lead to brain damage’’, he said.
He urged mothers to desist from acts and practices that are inimical to the normal growth and development of their children. (NAN)
