What Are the Potential Side Effects of Blue Light Treatment for Newborns?

Jaundice is divided into two types: physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Every child has jaundice to some degree at birth. If it is physiological, appropriate phototherapy, also known as blue light therapy, can be used for treatment. However, due to the young age of children, some parents may worry that blue light therapy may have adverse effects on their children's bodies. So, what are the side effects of blue light therapy for newborns? Let's take a look below.

1. Fever: The most common side effect after exposure to blue light is fever. Since the temperature in the treatment box is relatively high, and the baby's body temperature is easily affected by the environment, it can cause fever in the baby. If the child has fever symptoms, the exposure should be temporarily stopped, and the baby should be cooled down promptly. Treatment can be resumed after the child's temperature has come down.

2. Diarrhea: Many babies experience diarrhea after exposure to blue light. The baby's stool becomes thin and green, and they may have 4-5 bowel movements per day. Parents should give the baby some extra water during this time. Diarrhea usually improves quickly after the end of phototherapy.

3. Rash: As babies' skin is very sensitive, some babies may develop red rashes or bruises on their skin after exposure to light, usually appearing on the face, trunk, and limbs. In this case, the duration of light exposure should be shortened, and phototherapy should be resumed after the rash has improved. The rash will gradually disappear after phototherapy and will not leave any scars.

1. The eyes should be protected with eye masks, and the genital area should be covered to avoid mucosal damage.

2. Pay attention to the temperature of the blue light box to avoid excessive heat.

3. Make sure to give the child appropriate amounts of water as blue light therapy can cause significant water loss.

4. Since the baby is without clothes and the embrace of parents in the blue light box, they may feel insecure and become fussy and unsettled. In such cases, sedative-hypnotic drugs like Luminal may be used to help the baby sleep peacefully. Luminal itself is also a liver enzyme inducer, which can help with the resolution of jaundice.

5. After blue light therapy, the child may show signs of fatigue and reluctance to eat, which are adverse reactions to the treatment. Generally, by encouraging the child to drink more water and rest well, they will quickly return to normal.

6. It is necessary to regularly measure the jaundice index using a transcutaneous bilirubinometer. If there is no decrease in the index after blue light therapy, it may indicate the possibility of "bronze syndrome," which is also one of the adverse reactions.

7. Blue light therapy is usually administered intermittently, such as six hours of exposure followed by a six-hour break, which has similar effects to continuous exposure.