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Step 1
Know how the condition affects your infant's body. This progressive inflammatory process starts soon after birth and first affects the delicate outer ducts of the liver. White blood cells flood the ducts, damaging and possibly dissolving them. The bile backs up in the liver and if left untreated will require a liver transplant.
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Step 2
Understand that the cause is still unknown. Biliary atresia is not hereditary, is not contagious and is not caused by any activity on the mother's part. A recent study suggests that a viral infection could cause it in susceptible infants. Ten percent of children diagnosed with the condition also have a congenital defect of the heart, intestine, spleen or blood vessels.
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Step 3
Recognize the symptoms. The child will appear normal at birth but start to look jaundiced after a few weeks due to the build up of bile. Before long the child will act irritable, experience weight loss and have a swollen abdomen from the enlarging liver.
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Step 4
Have a doctor confirm the diagnosis. She will administer a blood test to rule out other possible causes of jaundice or liver obstruction and then conclude with surgical exploration to confirm the damage to the liver ducts.
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Step 5
Submit to the recommended treatment for biliary atresia, known as the Kasai procedure, which removes the ducts and then attaches the small intestine directly to the liver. The surgery successfully reestablishes bile flow in 80 percent of infants under three months old, but if it fails then the next step is a liver transplant.
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Step 6
Prepare for possible complications from the Kasai procedure. Administer any special dietary vitamins and fats prescribed for the infant to assist with proper absorption of vitamins and minerals and stimulate normal growth and development. Prepare for complications from the treatment. Get regular check-ups to watch for bacteria build up and scar tissue in the small intestine, both of which may need a liver transplant if they become serious.
