Jaundice

The doctors have been monitoring Kyla's bilirubin levels. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that occurs from the breakdown of old red blood cells. Jaundice is a common condition in newborn infants caused by the build-up of bilirubin in the blood. Normally the bilirubin is processed in the liver and then deposited in the intestine so it can come out in the stool. Kyla's liver is immature, and it is not keeping up with the bilirubin levels in her system.

This bilirubin monitoring is a major source of the bloodwork that Kyla has had to endure. Today the pediatrician decided that Kyla need treatment to bring her bilirubin levels down. He prescribed home photo therapy, in which Kyla must lay on a bed bathed in blue light for 18 hours a day. The blue light helps to break down the bilirubin under her skin surface, and makes it easier for her liver to break it down further. This is not UV light, so she won't be getting diaper tan lines.

As part of the treatment, a nurse comes to the house every day to check up on her. In addition to checking on the photo therapy, the nurse takes a blood sample, weighs her, and checks her temperature. Once again, the level of medical care we are receiving is amazing.