Baubles For Babies: Bringing Bilicocoons to Canberra
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Jaundice in the newborn period is a common sign that indicates high bilirubin in a newborn baby.
About 60% of full-term newborns and 80% of premature babies get jaundice. Left untreated, extreme levels of bilirubin can lead to brain damage or hearing loss.
Phototherapy treatment is the most common treatment required to lower bilirubin levels and is currently provided only in-hospital in the ACT. About 80 babies a year in the ACT will need to be readmitted to hospital for phototherapy treatment.
Phototherapy is treatment with a shining blue fluorescent light from bili lights onto a baby’s bare skin. A specific wavelength of light can break down bilirubin into a form that the body can get rid of through the urine and stools.
There is evidence that re-admission to the hospital increases parental stress and has the potential to affect parent-infant bonding during the first few weeks of life of a newborn baby.
Isabel, mum of Alina, born at 30 weeks said “She also had constant blue light therapy to help with jaundice. During her time receiving this treatment we struggled to find suitable times for care moments and time to be held.”
“Although I knew she was receiving the best treatment it was so hard to watch my baby and not being able to comfort and support her in my arms.”
Alina receiving blue light therapy.
Feelings and emotions of parents could also be negatively affected by the hospital environment and the parental worries regarding the condition and progress of their baby.
Emeritus Professor Graham Reynolds, previously Head of Neonatal Intensive Care and Director of Paediatrics and Child Health and past Associate Dean, Australian National University Medical School, has said, “The Newborn Intensive Care Foundation has allowed the neonatal intensive care service at this (Canberra) hospital to lead the nation in many areas of clinical care and family support”.
There is however one area we are behind in.
The use of phototherapy at home to treat neonatal jaundice in other states of Australia and overseas has shown to reduce the negative effects of an admission to hospital and might provide benefits to the parents of the newborn.
Peter Cursley, Chairman of the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation who fund medical equipment to help sick and premature newborn babies said, “It’s time we followed the lead of other states and I would love for the Canberra region to get behind our fundraiser.”
The Department of Neonatology at the Canberra Hospital for Women and Children is organising a program of phototherapy at home for 2024 with the aim to reduce re-admissions to the Hospital and improve the experience of parents of newborns with jaundice that need treatment with phototherapy.
Among the benefits of home treatment is that it prevents separation anxiety between the mother and baby and it allows for breastfeeding in a comfortable home environment.
Alina receiving blue light therapy.
For this program to be developed and implemented, it is essential to use a phototherapy device that is user-friendly, safe and efficient in providing the treatment. The Bilicocoon fulfils all requirements. It’s a special blanket that emits blue light and can be safely used while the baby is being nursed in the comfort of the home environment.
To fulfil the need, two Bilicocoons are needed at a total cost of just over $23,000.
People of the Canberra region are encouraged to donate to the purchase of the Bilicocoons either by general donation at newborn.org.au or by donating a virtual bauble to decorate the Foundation’s virtual Christmas tree for the Baubles For Babies fundraiser. Each bauble donation is tax deductible and comes with the ability to upload a photograph and add a message. To donate a bauble, visit visufund.com/2023-nicu-christmas.
As Isabel has said, “Discovering the changes that the Bilicocoon will bring to families is absolutely amazing.”
All images supplied
