What is Neonatal Jaundice?
Neonatal jaundice is a condition seen in some infants where their skin discolors to a yellow shade. It is an exceptionally common condition that affects approximately 70 percent of newborn babies as a result of heightened bilrubin levels in the blood. Though some cases of neonatal jaundice will disappear on its own within a week or two, others require additional treatment.
Blue Light Therapy Standard forJaundice Treatment
Blue light is a favored treatment for neonatal jaundice because it is simple to administer, as it consists of a light simply shining onto the skin. And, yet, it does not have any short-term side effects, such as stinging, burning, or peeling, even though it is shone onto the most delicate and tender skin areas.
How it Works
The process of blue light phototherapy allows the blue light to be absorbed by the skin and the capillaries of the baby, enabling the body to change the bilrubin in the blood so that it can move through the system and be passed. It involves using a 430 to 490nm light emitting diode (LED) bulb in an overhead lamp (at a distance no greater than 20 inches) or a fiber optic blanket for sessions of varying lengths, depending on the product used and the degree of the condition (that is, the amount of bilrubin which must be irradiated).
The sessions of blue light therapy are most effective when the baby is not distressed (as there will be less movement, so that the light will better remain in place), wearing a diaper, and has his or her eyes protected from the light with special soft eye patches.
