Painless tests for toddlers

Jaundice (icterus) of newborns is the appearance of visible icteric staining of the skin, mucous membranes, sclerbrein due to an increase of the level of bilirubin in the blood of the newborn. 80% of premature infants suffer jaundice due to an increase of bilirubin in the blood, which must be treated, otherwise, a small undeveloped liver can refuse at any time. For this special equipment is required.

In most cases, jaundice appears within the first 3 days of a child's life, it proceeds favorably and is considered as a "physiological condition", since it is more often due to the features of development and metabolism of the child during this period of life. As a rule, it appears within the first 3-5 days of a child's life and lasts up to 14 days for in-term born children and up to 21 days for preterm born babies with low birth weight. This kind of jaundice is not dangerous for the child.

However, in some cases, too much bilirubin can be produced in the child's blood, which can be dangerous. This state is referred to as "pathological jaundice". In this case, the level of bilirubin in the blood rises too high figures, which can lead to complications, which primarily affect the nervous system and the brain.

How to recognize the physiological and pathological jaundice? To do this, there are special devices called transcutaneous bilirubinometer. This is a compact device for on-skin measuring the level of bilirubin in newborns' blood. The percutaneous measurement of the level of bilirubin is a non-invasive and accordingly painless alternative to traditional blood tests. There is no need to take blood from the patient, which is a great stress for toddlers and their parents. The result of an analysis becomes known in a few seconds. In combination with other clinical symptoms, this allows to quickly make a correct decision when choosing the further tactics of patient management.

A just the same vehicle is very needed in the separation of neonatal department of Ivano-Frankivsk city clinical perinatal center. Let us all together help the doctors quickly and painlessly identify such an insidious enemy as bilirubin.