title: Neurobehavior of term neonates with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the effect of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia on neurobehavior of term infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was undertaken in the neonatal unit of our tertiary care hospital. Term neonates who developed jaundice with serum bilirubin value of above 15 mg/dl within 1(st) week of life were enrolled in the study. Peak total serum bilirubin (PSB) levels of cases were recorded. Age and sex matched normal controls were assigned to every case. Both the groups were assessed by Brazelton's neurobehavioral assessment scale (NBAS) and the scores of the individual clusters were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Habituation, range of state, autonomic regulation and regulation of state clusters were significantly altered in the case group, while motor organization cluster was mainly affected in neonates with severe jaundice (PSB > 25 mg/dl). No differences were noted in the reflex and orientation NBAS clusters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia causes definite alteration in the neonatal neurobehavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: Thirunavukkarasu Arun
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: B Vishnu
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: Noyal Mariya
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Joseph
keywords: Brazelton′s neurobehavioral assessment scale; hyperbilirubinemia; neonates; neurobehavior