Kernicterus

kernicterus, severe brain damage caused by an abnormal concentration of the bile pigment bilirubin in brain tissues at or shortly after birth. Kernicterus may occur because of Rh blood-group incompatibility between mother and child, as in erythroblastosis fetalis, where the mother’s immune system destroys fetal blood cells, resulting in severe anemia and jaundice in the newborn. Other causes are certain types of drug therapy, cerebral palsy, and jaundice associated with prematurity. Symptoms of kernicterus include loss of the startle reflex, poor feeding, decreased movement, and seizures. If the infant survives, later effects of kernicterus may include movement disorders, hearing loss, and decreased mental ability. Transfusion therapy and phototherapy have greatly reduced the incidence of kernicterus.