Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

ubermeisters t1_jcfoc0x wrote

any chance that the wavelength and strength of light could be assumed from natural levels?

I admit to not reading the posted content.

3

starciv14 t1_jch3qkp wrote

Ok I'm a float nurse but I work mom baby often enough to answer this.

This would be done in a panda baby warmer or equivalent, which is very comfortable for baby.

Blood tests are sent to check bilirubin level. You can simply trend labs and stop the light when it's appropriate. We know the light we use doesn't harm babies when used appropriately. We have to draw blood for many other reasons in the first 24 hours of life, so yes it's an extra heel stick or 2 for the baby.

I'm not saying we shouldn't do better and optimize here, but I just wanted to communicate that neonatal jaundice happens a lot and it's pretty easily solved the overwhelming majority of the time, unless the kiddo has something very serious going on. My little rural hospital has been doing this easily for a decade

3

ForAFriendAsking t1_jci4gdc wrote

Does sunlight also cure it?

1

DixieCretinSeaman t1_jcl70zh wrote

I believe it does, but the blue light is faster. And not every baby is born someplace sunny!

1

DixieCretinSeaman t1_jcl6i5v wrote

Yeah, both of my kids were born jaundiced bc of a mismatch in blood types with my wife. They put them under a blue light and in my eldest’s case they had us keep her in a special blue light blanket for a few days. It was very straightforward and the kids were fine!

1

CaveSquirrel1971 t1_jcgpt80 wrote

What was wrong with the "prescription" given to my mother to place my twin brothers (born with jaundice in 1954) in the sun for a few days. The condition was cured and they both have lived normal lives.

2

FwibbFwibb t1_jclr1dv wrote

> What was wrong with the "prescription" given to my mother to place my twin brothers (born with jaundice in 1954) in the sun for a few days. The condition was cured and they both have lived normal lives.

Not everywhere is warm and sunny?

That's literally it. I'm really surprised you are having trouble understanding this.

2

CaveSquirrel1971 t1_jcuvwlu wrote

They were born in Hastings, Nebraska during December. You didn't have all the information you needed, and I apologize for that.

1

CaveSquirrel1971 t1_jcymmfp wrote

I should have included that they were born in Nebraska the first part of December.

1

CaveSquirrel1971 t1_jcnwmb8 wrote

With my recent experiments in solar cooking, I know there is not a relationship with the air temperature and the solar light frequencies needed for this treatment. I was able to easily cook scrambled eggs in an iron pan when the outside temperature was around 36 degrees Farenheit.

0

Select_Plane487 t1_jcuu2y4 wrote

Cloudy climates. High latitudes where the sun shines a few hours or less in winter.

1

AutoModerator t1_jceps8t wrote

Welcome to r/science! This is a heavily moderated subreddit in order to keep the discussion on science. However, we recognize that many people want to discuss how they feel the research relates to their own personal lives, so to give people a space to do that, personal anecdotes are allowed as responses to this comment. Any anecdotal comments elsewhere in the discussion will be removed and our normal comment rules apply to all other comments.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

carcigenicate t1_jcfxdjz wrote

That explains the blue light I used to see in the NICU I worked in. The lights were so bright the entire room would be bathed in thick blue light, and it would spill out into the hallways. It's the only light I've ever seen that could be described as "thick".

1

-downtone_ t1_jcirmis wrote

I had this treatment due to jaundice. There is also risk that high bilirubin levels can cause kernicterus, which can lead to cerebral palsy.

1