Out of danger at last
Friday evening: The young mother brought her baby to the Diospi Suyana Hospital. The little girl was just five days old and obviously quite ill. Completely dried out (dehydrated), limp and yellow like a lemon. The bilirubin level was well over 30 mg/dl. Above 25 mg/dl, the bilirubin can cross the blood-brain barrier and be deposited in the brain. The result: lethargy and seizures.
The therapy consisted of intravenous fluids and immediate phototherapy. The blue light waves convert water-insoluble bilirubin in the skin into a water-soluble form that can be excreted via urine and stool.
Yesterday afternoon, the mother was beaming all over her face. Her baby is now drinking normally and is much stronger. Paediatrician Dr. Christian Reibold (left) is delighted that the bilirubin level has fallen to 16 mg/dl. And it looks as though the young baby will not suffer any long-term complications.
Yesterday afternoon, the mother was beaming all over her face. Her baby is now drinking normally and is much stronger. Paediatrician Dr. Christian Reibold (left) is delighted that the bilirubin level has fallen to 16 mg/dl. And it looks as though the young baby will not suffer any long-term complications. Incidentally, the mother used to attend a Diospi Suyana children’s club run by Dr. Martina John when she was a girl.
