Infant Phototherapy: How Light Therapy Helps Newborns with Jaundice

Author :-

Dr.Sreejaya

General Medicine & Diabetology

Introduction: Understanding Infant Phototherapy

What Is Infant Phototherapy?

Phototherapy uses non-sunlight. It helps your baby's liver break down and eliminate bilirubin to cure neonatal jaundice. Phototherapy maximises light exposure to your baby's skin.

Why Phototherapy is Crucial for Newborns with Jaundice

To avoid neurotoxicity from high serum unconjugated bilirubin, phototherapy is used. Phototherapy decreases neonatal exchange transfusions and serum unconjugated bilirubin levels safely and effectively.

What is Jaundice and How Does It Affect Newborns?

Overview of Jaundice in Newborns

A newborn's skin and eyes become yellow from jaundice. Excess bilirubin (bil-ih-ROO-bin), a yellow pigment of red blood cells, causes infant jaundice

Causes of Jaundice: Bilirubin Build-up and Liver Function

The liver excretes bilirubin produced when red blood cells break down. Liver illness, pancreatitis, several malignancies, and other conditions can raise adult bilirubin levels. Bilirubin elevation can induce jaundice, which yellows skin and eyes.

The Science Behind Neonatal Phototherapy

How Light Therapy Works to Treat Jaundice

The bili lights shine fluorescent light on bare skin for phototherapy. A certain light wavelength breaks down bilirubin into a form that the body can excrete through urine and faeces. Light is blue. The infant is naked or diapered beneath the lights.

The Role of Blue Light in Breaking Down Bilirubin

The word 'phototherapy' signifies light therapy. Blue light passes through Baby's skin. This makes bilirubin easier for babies to eliminate.

Types of Phototherapy for Newborns

NICU Phototherapy

Phototherapy. Phototherapy uses non-sunlight. It helps your baby's liver break down and eliminate bilirubin to cure neonatal jaundice. Phototherapy maximises light exposure to your baby's skin.

How phototherapy is administered in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Phototherapy typically uses 8-10 mW/cm2 per nm. Intensive phototherapy uses 30 mW/cm2 per nm or more (430–490 nm). For extensive phototherapy, place an extra light source under the baby.

Phototherapy for Newborns

An overview of the different methods of administering phototherapy, including fibre optic blankets and overhead lights.

Hyperbilirubinemia in newborns is treated with phototherapy. Fibreoptic phototherapy, a novel method, lowers serum bilirubin (SBR) while avoiding baby care interruption.

Neonatal Phototherapy

Understanding the guidelines and protocols for neonatal light therapy

Phototherapy and exchange transfusion for newborn jaundice are dependent on term or preterm status, age of hyperbilirubinemia, and total serum bilirubin, according to the 2013 WHO recommendation.

Benefits of Phototherapy for Jaundice

How Phototherapy Reduces Bilirubin Levels Safely and Effectively

Phototherapy uses non-sunlight. It helps your baby's liver break down and eliminate bilirubin to cure neonatal jaundice. Phototherapy maximises light exposure to your baby's skin.

Short-Term and Long-Term Benefits of Phototherapy for Newborn Health

Phototherapy uses non-sunlight. It helps your baby's liver break down and eliminate bilirubin to cure neonatal jaundice. Phototherapy maximises light exposure to your baby's skin.

No rules exist regarding when to stop phototherapy. Haemolysis and baby age affect duration. Some patients need phototherapy for 24 hours, others for 5–7 days.

When is phototherapy necessary for newborns?

Criteria for Starting Phototherapy for Jaundice

Typically, the NICU initiates phototherapy when the total serum bilirubin reaches five times the birth weight. Thus, phototherapy begins at 5 mg/dL for a 1-kg child, 10 mg/dL for a 2-kg infant, and so on.

Monitoring Bilirubin Levels and Determining Treatment Duration

A full metabolic panel, liver panel, or urinalysis sometimes includes a bilirubin test.

Bilirubin tests in the blood and urine can identify jaundice, hepatitis, cirrhosis, gallbladder disease, and haemolytic anaemia.

At high bilirubin levels, infant jaundice can cause kernicterus. In the first few days and when jaundice appears, newborns undergo testing to prevent the consequences of prolonged and high bilirubin levels.

A doctor can evaluate your liver problem and treatment response with repeated bilirubin tests.

The Procedure of Infant Phototherapy

Step-by-Step Process of Administering Phototherapy

Non-sunlight phototherapy is used.

It aids the liver in breaking down and eliminating bilirubin from newborns' blood to treat jaundice.

Phototherapy exposes your baby's skin to as much light as possible.

Under a light in a crib or incubator, your baby will have their eyes covered.

You normally stop for 30 minutes to feed, change, and snuggle your infant.

If your baby's jaundice continues, you may need to administer intensive phototherapy.

Add more light or use a light blanket.

You cannot nurse or hold your infant during enhanced phototherapy pauses. Your infant can get expressed milk.

We will monitor your baby's temperature and dehydration during phototherapy.

Your infant may need intravenous fluids if they can't drink enough.

We will check post-phototherapy bilirubin levels every 4–6 hours to ensure treatment efficacy.

We will monitor your baby's bilirubin levels every 6–12 hours after they stabilize or fall.

When bilirubin levels stabilize, usually within a day or two, phototherapy ends.

The negative effects of phototherapy for baby jaundice are rare.

How Hospitals Ensure Safe and Comfortable Treatment for Newborns

Always watch your infant in your room. Keep the bassinet away from the door alongside your bed. Your infant must be in a bassinet when you or a nurse leave the hospital. Only authorised workers can relocate your infants for tests.

Side Effects and Risks of Phototherapy for Newborns

Common side effects of phototherapy: skin irritation, dehydration, and eye protection

Dehydration, loose stools, moderate skin irritation, and temporary skin darkening are common side effects. The effects are generally modest and reversible with therapy. Eye protection prevents light-induced retinal damage.

Managing Potential Risks and Ensuring Safe Treatment

Safe and effective phototherapy for a newborn without haemolysis lowers total serum or plasma bilirubin within 4 to 6 hours.

Alternatives to Phototherapy for Jaundice

When to Consider Alternatives: Exchange Transfusion, Medications

Certain conditions may necessitate an exchange transfusion. Risky newborn red blood cell count, also known as neonatal polycythaemia, can lead to Rh-induced haemolysis. Severe chemistry issues.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Different Jaundice Treatments

Fiberoptic phototherapy was more effective than white light conventional PT in terms of bilirubin reduction rate and treatment duration, but blue light conventional PT was comparable.

Conclusion

Advanced phototherapy equipment at Ovum Hospitals cures infant jaundice safely and effectively. Our skilled paediatricians and hepatologists regularly monitor the infant's bilirubin levels to ensure prompt and correct therapies. This hospital prioritises safety, quality, and outcomes.

FAQs

1: Does phototherapy affect skin colour?

Phototherapy can temporarily darken skin, although it normally fades after 24 hours. Another phototherapy adverse effect is skin redness and hyperpigmentation.

2: What are the two primary pathological jaundice treatments?

The hospital offers two primary treatments: Phototherapy The light breaks down bilirubin molecules for excretion. The infant may need an exchange transfusion in severe situations.

3: Are phototherapy side effects dehydration?

The biggest risks of phototherapy for newborns with cholestatic jaundice are insensible water loss and cutaneous responses. Phototherapy using halogen spot lights increases skin blood flow and insensible water loss.

4: What is the most prevalent hyperbilirubinemia treatment?

The following treatments may lessen your baby's bilirubin: Better nutrition. If your infant needs extra nourishment, your doctor may prescribe more frequent feeding or supplements to avoid weight loss. Phototherapy

5: Is phototherapy safe?

While phototherapy is safe, medical treatments may cause negative effects. Possible acute adverse effects of phototherapy include: Red, fragile skin-like sunburn Gentle stinging/burning.