Symptoms:

Symptoms may include:

• Extreme sleepiness
• Feeding problems
• Seizures
• Very ruddy (red) skin color

Signs and tests:

There may be signs of breathing problems, kidney failure, and newborn jaundice.

If the baby has symptoms of hyperviscosity, a blood test to count the number of red blood cells will be done. This test is called a hematocrit.

Other tests may include:

• Blood gases to check oxygen level in the blood
• Blood sugar (glucose) to check for low blood sugar
• Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), a substance that forms when protein breaks down
• Creatinine, a substance produced by muscles that can build up in the blood if the kidneys aren't working properly
• Urinalysis