Have you noticed yellowing of your newborn’s skin or eyes, unusual sleepiness, feeding difficulties, or changes in your baby’s behavior? These may be signs of newborn jaundice, a common condition caused by elevated bilirubin levels in the blood.
Although many cases are mild, some newborns develop bilirubin levels that require prompt medical attention. Dr. Balasundari Krishnan, a board-certified pediatrician at DFW Physicians Medical Associates (DFWPMA) in Corpus Christi, provides newborn health evaluations to help identify jaundice concerns, review bilirubin results, and determine appropriate follow-up care.
Whether your baby developed jaundice shortly after birth, had elevated bilirubin levels during a hospital stay, or continues to show yellowing of the skin after returning home, Dr. Krishnan can assess your newborn’s condition, evaluate feeding and weight changes, and coordinate additional testing, treatment, or specialist referrals when necessary.
Important: Jaundice appearing during the first 24 hours after birth requires urgent medical assessment.
If your baby has jaundice with difficulty waking, poor feeding, unusual limpness, or abnormal movements, seek emergency medical care immediately. Do not wait for a routine appointment.
Book an appointment online or call (361) 462-4159 to contact our Corpus Christi location.
Dr. Krishnan accepts Medicaid and many major insurance plans. Not sure if your plan is accepted?
Call (361) 462-4159 and our team can help verify coverage.
Dr. Balasundari Krishnan is a board-certified pediatrician in Corpus Christi who provides newborn examinations, jaundice assessments, bilirubin result reviews, and follow-up care.
She evaluates yellowing of the skin and eyes alongside feeding patterns, weight changes, medical history, and other clinical findings to help determine whether a newborn requires additional bilirubin testing, closer monitoring, or treatment.
With pediatric residency training at Driscoll Children’s Hospital and an ongoing hospital affiliation, Dr. Krishnan brings specialized pediatric experience to newborn health concerns.
Her approach emphasizes early identification of elevated bilirubin levels, careful assessment of individual risk factors, and clear communication with parents about appropriate medical care.
More reasons to choose Dr. Krishnan for your newborn’s pediatric care include:
A newborn jaundice evaluation at DFW Physicians Medical Associates in Corpus Christi involves assessing visible signs of jaundice, reviewing available bilirubin results, evaluating feeding and weight changes, and identifying medical factors that may increase the risk of significant hyperbilirubinemia (elevated bilirubin levels).
Dr. Krishnan considers your baby’s age in hours, gestational age at birth, medical history, and clinical findings to determine whether additional bilirubin testing, treatment, or follow-up is necessary.
Because jaundice severity cannot be determined reliably from skin color alone, bilirubin measurements are important when clinically indicated.
Depending on your newborn’s condition and medical history, a jaundice evaluation may include:
Not every newborn with jaundice requires phototherapy or extensive diagnostic testing. Many cases resolve as bilirubin levels decrease naturally, but some infants require close monitoring or treatment.
Decisions should be based on measured bilirubin levels, the baby’s age and gestational age, and other relevant clinical risk factors rather than visible yellowing alone.
Newborn jaundice evaluations are important because elevated bilirubin levels are common during the first days of life, but excessively high levels can damage a baby’s developing nervous system.
Most newborns with jaundice do not experience serious complications, yet bilirubin levels can rise after hospital discharge and may require additional monitoring or treatment.
Early evaluation helps pediatricians identify infants at risk of severe hyperbilirubinemia, recommend appropriate bilirubin testing, and begin treatment when necessary to prevent avoidable neurological injury.
Key benefits of newborn jaundice evaluations include:
What can happen if newborn jaundice is not evaluated or treated when necessary? Severe untreated hyperbilirubinemia can cause bilirubin to accumulate in the brain, potentially resulting in acute bilirubin encephalopathy, permanent hearing loss, movement disorders, developmental disabilities, or kernicterus.
In rare cases, severe bilirubin-related neurological injury can be life-threatening. Not every newborn with jaundice will develop these complications, but delaying evaluation when bilirubin levels are significantly elevated can increase the risk of irreversible harm.
Prompt assessment, appropriate testing, and timely treatment are essential when concerning jaundice symptoms or elevated bilirubin levels are present.
