The hidden threat: A case of neonatal kernicterus secondary to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Infants with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency are at increased risk for extreme hyperbilirubinemia. However, distinguishing these at-risk infants from the general population can be a diagnostic challenge for the managing pediatrician. Most instances of hyperbilirubinemia follow a benign course, which can give pediatricians a false sense of complacency regarding the likelihood of an infant having a devastating outcome. This case highlights how easily a tragedy such as kernicterus can occur, and addresses how careful application of the 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline Revision can aid in the identification of infants at risk and optimization of management of infants with unknown G6PD status.