Pediatric Nurses with the International Maritime Hospital at Tema Lilian Baafi Boateng and Lubabatu Salifu have advised mothers to seek early treatment for their newly born babies if they notice any signs of neonatal jaundice.
The condition occurs when a baby has high levels of bilirubin in its blood, and early detection is vital to addressing the case.
It is a common condition, requiring immediate medical evaluation in newborns to prevent permanent brain damage and other physical disabilities.
Speaking to Nana Konadu Okontie on Plan B FM’s ‘Apomuden Fie’, they encouraged parents to closely monitor their babies from birth through their first months of life to ascertain any defects so they can report to the appropriate health facility.
“Neonatal Jaundice requires early detection and careful monitoring because if left untreated for too long, the consequences could be distressing. It could lead to permanent brain damage,” they indicated
“Any sign of a yellowish discoloration of the baby’s skin or eye, or both, should be immediately reported to a health facility for treatment”
They also advised health workers who handle newborn cases, to remain vigilant and to make sure they critically examined all babies before they are discharged from the facilities.
This was important to prevent the situation where mothers returned too late with severe cases that had already caused irreversible damage to the brain and other organs of their babies.
They also pointed out that the causes were varied and cited among these common infections, incompatibility of the baby’s blood group with that of their mothers, poor feeding of babies leading to dehydration and contact with certain chemicals.
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