Light-up pyjamas just seem like a cool idea in general, but it turns out that new glowing PJs could be used to treat jaundice in newborns in a more baby-friendly way!

 

Neonatal jaundice, known as hyperbilirubinaemia in the medical world, is a fairly common condition among babies and affects 80 percent of preemies. With jaundice, an infant’s skin, mucous membranes, and white of their eyes become tinted yellow.

 

Neonatal jaundice can make babies tired and makes feeding them very difficult. In extreme cases, jaundice can lead to brain damage.

 

Usually, intensive blue-light phototherapy is used to treat jaundice and prevent long-lasting symptoms. However, parents and doctors have been concerned about such treatment because it prevents human contact with the little one.

 

 

With intensive blue-light phototherapy, the baby is placed in an incubator and must both be undressed and wear eye protection. Needless to say, this method can be stressful for parents.

 

Polymer optical fibres (POFs) are this Swiss research team’s new solution to the issues that come with treating neonatal jaundice. Their Biometric and Optics Express-published study shows how POF-woven pyjamas allow for parents to hold their child and for the little one will be insulated, while also receiving treatment. While POFs have been used as blankets to treat neonatal jaundice in the past, the blankets proved uncomfortable and required that a skin-friendly fabric is placed in between the child and the phototherapeutic blankets.

 

Researchers studied warp yarn thickness, weave pattern, and weft yarn density in order to make a fabric that emits the same amount of therapeutic light all over the baby’s skin with consistent intensity. The POFs allow for the therapeutic light to be transmitted, and LEDs or laser diodes are be used to create that light.

 

The researchers also asked themselves important questions like – Is the fabric breathable? Is it suitable for newborns’ sensitive skin? – in order to construct a fabric that suits babies’ particular needs, and could be woven into different shapes other than pyjamas.

 

 

As well, babies don’t have to wear the protective eye gear when wearing POF-woven fabric. Their little eyes are safe.

 

The result: a wearable phototherapy device, which means that newborns can be treated for jaundice at home instead of having to stay in a hospital.

 

The study concluded that the light-up pyjamas have a ‘high potential’ to be used to treat neonatal jaundice. Because of their methods used, these pyjamas could be made very quickly.

 

They really do think of everything these days! We are happy there's a way to help make babies healthy - and keep them with their families.

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