Jaundice Say: JON-diss To understand jaundice, there's another word you need to know: bilirubin (say: bih-lih-ROO-bin). Bilirubin comes from the normal breakdown of red blood cells. Usually, your liver does a great job of getting rid of bilirubin. But sometimes the liver can't break down the bilirubin fast enough. When that happens, a person gets jaundice. Doctors can tell when people have jaundice because the whites of their eyes and even their skin turn yellow. Back to Articles Related Articles What's Blood? It swirls through your veins and arteries, but what is it really? Find out about blood in this article for kids. Read More Your Liver Your liver cleans your blood and plays an important part in digestion. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Alcohol Do you know how beer and other alcoholic drinks affect the body and mind? Find out in this article for kids. Read More Hepatitis It's sneaky, it's silent, and it can permanently harm your liver. Read this article for more information on hepatitis. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.