A phototherapy lamp system in the form of a mattress and blanket is an innovative method of treating newborns whose physiological jaundice has intensified naturally shortly after birth or who have developed secondary jaundice. The modern phototherapy system is already being used in the pediatric department in Bolesławiec.
Aleksandra Kopczyńska, Head of the Pediatric Department:
Babies who come to us from the neonatal clinic or are referred by family doctors and midwives because of persistent jaundice will be treated, among other methods, with this therapy. It is an optimal solution. Wrapped in a blanket with lamps, the baby can be carried, cuddled, cared for, breastfed and held skin-to-skin by the mother—without interrupting the phototherapy. Particularly during the first days and weeks of life, uninterrupted contact between the baby and the mother is a time for building a bond. The little one does not feel the fear intensified by being separated from touch. Closeness has a tremendous influence on the child’s development, and the mother is more at ease. The phototherapy system we use provides excellent support for the child’s thermoregulation. The baby and mother usually stay in the department for two or three days. If tests confirm their good health, they both return home.
Before the new phototherapy system was introduced, children whose jaundice did not subside were referred to Legnica, to the neonatal pathology department. Most cases of jaundice can be brought under control thanks to the phototherapy currently used in Bolesławiec.
The child’s health is monitored continuously. Specialists decide whether the “mattress and blanket” produce satisfactory therapeutic results or whether the child should be transferred to a specialist center for more extensive diagnosis and treatment.