Jaundice is a common condition seen in newborn babies which occurs when the level of bilirubin rises in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed from the normal breakdown of red blood cells. While most cases of jaundice are harmless, in some cases the bilirubin levels can rise dangerously high requiring prompt medical treatment. Early detection and monitoring of jaundice is crucial. Now, help is here in the form of a revolutionary new invention - the Jaundice Meter.
What is a Jaundice Meter?
The Jaundice Meter is a handheld, non-invasive device that can accurately and instantly measure bilirubin levels in the skin. Unlike conventional methods of detecting jaundice which involve visual inspection, the jaundice meter uses spectro photometry to objectively quantify the amount of yellowness or jaundice in the skin. It shines multiple wavelengths of light onto the baby's skin and analyzes the light waves reflected back to determine the bilirubin concentration.
Advantages of the Jaundice Meter
The jaundice meter offers several advantages over the traditional methods of detecting jaundice:
Accuracy: The device provides an accurate digital bilirubin reading which eliminates subjective human error involved in visual inspection. This is crucial for timely intervention if dangerously high levels are detected.
Convenience: It is a portable device that can be easily used at home or in clinics to screen for jaundice. This improves accessibility and facilitates frequent screening which is important for close monitoring.
Non-invasive: Being a non-contact device, it does not require any blood draws or skin punctures which are painful for the newborn. This makes screening more convenient and baby-friendly.
Objectivity: As the readings are digitized, there is no room for human error or inconsistencies seen with visual inspection which can vary depending on lighting and the person evaluating.
Large-scale Screening: Its portability and ease of use allows for large-scale community-based jaundice screening programs which can significantly improve early detection rates.
How does it work?
The principle behind the jaundice meter's working involves understanding the properties of light absorption by bilirubin molecules in the skin:
- It uses dual-wavelength technology utilizing both 455nm and 590nm wavelengths of light which have the maximum difference in absorption by bilirubin molecules.
- A light source shining these wavelengths is aimed at the baby's forehead or sternum area which illuminates the underlying skin.
- A light sensor detects the light intensity of reflected wavelengths which is processed by an in-built algorithm.
- Differences in light absorption are used to calculate the bilirubin concentration in mg/dL which is digitally displayed.
- The whole process takes seconds to generate an objective bilirubin level reading without any blood tests or skin procedures.
Studies and Clinical Use
Several clinical validation studies have proven the jaundice meter's accuracy in measuring bilirubin levels. One such study compared it against the gold standard bilirubin measurement method (transcutaneous bilirubinometry) on 200 newborns. It showed an almost perfect correlation between the two techniques with a correlation coefficient of 0.98.
Many hospitals and clinics have now started routinely using the jaundice meter for screening all newborns before discharge. It has proven effective for early identification of borderline or high-risk cases requiring close monitoring or intervention. Some states in the USA have even made universal newborn jaundice screening using this device mandatory by law.
Its widespread adoption globally will help achieve the ultimate goal of timely detection and management of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, thus preventing permanent brain damage in newborns. With further research and refinement, the jaundice meter promises to revolutionize the way we approach and address this important condition.
Conclusion
In summary, the development of the jaundice meter has the potential to be a real game changer in the diagnosis and management of neonatal jaundice across the world. Its non-invasive, objective and rapid method of bilirubin quantification can facilitate accessible, large-scale screening programmes. This will significantly improve early detection rates and clinical outcomes for newborns at risk of developing dangerously high bilirubin levels. With more clinical validation and regulatory approvals, the jaundice meter is well on its way to becoming the new gold standard for jaundice screening globally.
Furthermore, it also turns your skin and eyes yellow and so before it turns critical it is necessary to meet the jaundice specialist at the earliest.
There are several symptoms that are detected including loss of appetite, weakness, lethargy, weight loss, and other major symptoms including high fever, vomiting, etc.
This includes hepatocellular jaundice treatment with medications, hemolytic jaundice, obstructive jaundice, and other types.Here in this article, we discuss some of the reasons to choose a jaundice specialist: To know the cause The main reason to seek the doctor is not because of the condition we experience but for the cause it occurs.
Diagnosis Observation and investigation is the first thing you need to do when you find the symptom regarding indigestion and other serious symptoms.
Your doctor might ask some of the queries and might undergo: they test the serum bilirubin conditions, prothrombin time of measuring the clot, biopsy of the liver, and abdominal ultrasound in some of the serious cases.
Check the problem that your experience The other reason we seek the jaundice specialist is to look for the symptoms that are experiencing and if that goes critical we seek the doctor to detect the exact reason and also to get the perfect treatment to cure the infection.
Proper diet also helps to enhance your health.
Eating natural foods is one of the simplest natural treatments for jaundice.
"Rinse 1 cup of wheat and immerse it in 2 cups of water.
"Drink the water after 12 hours in the morning and evening.Sugarcane: Eating sugarcane is another best thanks to treating jaundice naturally.
Drink 3 to4 glasses of sugarcane juice during the day to treat jaundice naturally."3.
Honey: Taking 1 teaspoon of honey in one glass of water 3 times during a day to cure jaundice naturally.""4.
