Jaundice and behavioral organization in the full-term neonate

Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common problem experienced by full-term neonates during the first days of life. The short-term behavioral sequelae in infants with mild hyperbilirubinemia not requiring phototherapy were investigated by means of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. The behavioral integrity of 76 mildly jaundiced infants (maximum serum bilirubin 200-250 mumol/l) was compared with that of 401 control infants without clinical signs of hyperbilirubinemia (maximum serum bilirubin less than 100 mumol/l). The two groups differed on 12 of the 28 scale items reflecting five of the six dimensions of newborn behavior: habituation to disturbing stimuli when asleep, orientation to environmental events when alert, motor performance, regulation of state, and autonomic stability. The jaundiced infants showed an impaired behavioral organization compared to the control infants.