Q: My baby is 7 months old and has jaundice since birth. He is under treatment at Chandigarh. His earlier ultrasound was normal but the recent one shows ascitis - fluid in the abdomen. He also has liver enlargement and spleen enlargement. Please guide me?

A:Persisting neonatal jaundice and signs of persisting liver dysfunction with portal hypertension indicates that most probably your son has a primary liver disease, most likely a biliary tract obstruction (biliary atresia) or a metabolic disease involving liver. The presence of ascitis and spleen enlargement are signs of worsening liver function. Surgery is possible in some cases depending on the level of obstruction. It is not possible to give more details about diagnosis or management without more information of the blood tests for liver function, type of jaundice and advanced scans for liver. The Advanced Paediatrics Centre of PGIMER Hospital has one of the best facilities for its management.