Why are some babies treated with bili lights?

If you've ever been in the neonatal unit of a hospital, you may have seen babies wearing tiny eye shields under blue lights. It almost looks like the babies are in some kind of weird blue tanning bed. Those blue beams are called bili lights,and they help prevent newborns from getting brain damage or other complications from a condition known as newborn jaundice.

                                  

                                           

Newborn jaundice or hyperbilirubinemia, occurs when a newborn's liver isn't quite up to the task of breaking down red blood cells for excretion. The resulting buildup of the byproduct bilirubin in the body's tissues turns the infant's eyes and skin yellowish. Left untreated, the condition can lead to CEREBRAL PALSY, brain damage or hearing loss. Some amount of jaundice is expected in newborns, since the infant's liver has to take over the job of breaking down bilirubin for the first time -- the placenta and the mother's liver do the work before birth. If the jaundice lasts too long, is accompanied by other factors, or if the baby has risk factors such as being born prematurely, then treatment is necessary.

Bili lights are a form of phototherapy. The lights -- which can be fluorescent or LED -- produce light between 420 and 470 nanometer wavelengths. (This is where the blue color comes from.) The light passes through the infant's skin and breaks down the bilirubin into a form that the baby can eliminate. It's important for the light to make contact with as much of the infant's skin as possible, so infants undergoing this treatment aren't wrapped in blankets, and NURSES turn the infants regularly to expose different areas of the body.

Throughout the treatment, hospital staff monitors the infant's temperature and other vital signs. They also keep tabs on bilirubin levels via blood tests. The most common risk associated with bili light therapy is dehydration, so babies sometimes get fluids intravenously. The eye shields simply protect the infant's eyes from irritation due to the bright lights.

Treatment with bili lights usually takes 24 to 48 hours to complete, at which point the newborn's liver can handle the bilirubin itself. If the bili lights don't work, a blood exchange transfusion can be used, in which the infant's blood is slowly drained and replaced with donor blood or plasma.

Bili lights aren't usually used to treat jaundice in adults. In newborns, jaundice is typically a temporary condition, so the bili lights just need to do their job until the infant's LIVER FUNCTIONS kick in. In adults, jaundice is caused by some underlying condition, usually a liver problem or a blocked duct. Therefore, treating adult jaundice requires diagnosing and treating the root cause.

Requesting a Breast Pump from Your Health Insurance Carrier

 Requesting a Breast Pump from Your Health Insurance Carrier

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful and beautiful experience for both mother and baby.

     Sometimes, life can complicate the breastfeeding process—perhaps a baby has trouble latching (often the case with premature babies), or a mom needs to return to work before her little one is weaned. In this case, breast pumps can play a key role in achieving success in breastfeeding. While these valuable tools were costly to obtain in the past—often running more than $300 out of pocket—there is now another option. The recently passed Affordable Care Act (ACA) will now require health insurance carriers to provide breast pumps to pregnant and nursing mothers.

How do you go about asking your health insurance carrier for your benefits? It is important that you understand the provisions in your own private health insurance plan in order to gain maximum benefits. Here are some tips on how to approach your insurance provider.

1. Understand your plan and the benefits of the ACA. Do your research. Before you call your insurer’s customer service department and ask about a breast pump, you will need to confirm your eligibility. Some policies are ineligible and therefore are exempt from coverage.

2. Be prepared with a list of questions when calling your health insurance carrier. It is important to ask about the specifics of the coverage within your plan. This may help you set reasonable expectations of your benefits.

      

      § Am I required to have a prescription in order to get a pump?  Who do I get the prescription from, my OB/GYN or my Personal Care Physician? What does it need to say?  Are specific codes required?
§  What type of pump would be covered under my plan?
§  Would it be a manual expression pump or an electric pump?
§  Where would I get the pumps? Would I purchase it and provide a receipt for reimbursement?
§  Would I use a network vendor or Direct Medical Equipment (DME) supplier? Would it be delivered to my house?
§  Am I covered for out of network benefits?  If so, can I get a pump from an out of network DME?
§  When can I order my breast pump? Would it be before or after the birth of my children?
§  Are lactation consultant services and visits covered in my policy?
§  Are there any restrictions such as the number of visits allowed with the lactation consultant?
§  If I need a hospital grade pump, how would I get one?
§  Would my accessories be covered, such as a car charger, battery packs, milk storage bags, etc?
§  Could I choose to upgrade to an electric pump if I was allotted a manual pump? Is there a cost and how much?
§  If there is co-pay, can I pay it with my Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account?
§  What brands of pumps can I choose from.

3. Document all conversations. It’s important that you take notes during your conversations with your carrier, paying special attention to details like the name of the person you spoke with, date and time, and what method of communication-phone or email. Since the implementation of the ACA and its benefits are fairly new for the health industry, this will help you address any potential discrepancies.

4. Be confident .These are your rights and benefits entitled to you by the law. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!!!

Why Cleaning and Disinfecting Your CPAP Equipment Is So Important ?

You are filthy absolutely filthy, but hey, it’s not really your fault. Germs or cooties as you may have called them in third grade are literally everywhere. In some cases, the inside of your home may be covered in more germs and bacteria than the great outdoors. Things like computer mice and other appliances that we touch every day have been known to have more germs and bacteria than a toilet seat. In fact, some appliances may be upwards of 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat. So, you can imagine what is lurking on your CPAP equipment – most likely nothing that you would like to see with a microscope. This is the reason why it is so important to clean and disinfect your CPAP supplies .

For maximum cleanliness, you want to clean your CPAP mask on a daily basis – your other equipment doesn't need to be cleaned so frequently as the mask. It is recommended to use good old soap and water to clean your mask, but it is also a good idea to keep a specialized CPAP mask cleaner on hand. It is recommended to have a steady supply of Cleaning Wipes, which can be used if you want a quick and easy way to clean your CPAP mask on the fly. Not only will it dry instantly, but it will effectively remove dirt, grease, oils and other organic residue from your mask with no unpleasant fragrances. Think of it this way: if you don’t clean your mask, you may as well fall asleep with a toilet seat on your face.

It is recommended to clean the rest of your CPAP equipment, like tubing and other accessories, on a weekly basis. The best way to clean all your CPAP equipment is to wash and rinse the components in warm, soapy water. All you need is a little cleanser to get your CPAP accessories smelling fresh and clean. If you want to really remove that dirt and grime that builds up in your CPAP hose, you can use the CPAP Tube Cleaning Brush, which does a remarkable job at making sure your hose stays clean. Have you ever taken a whiff of your CPAP hose after a week of use – it  isn’t pretty?

This is the recommended time period to change the Supplies for your CPAP Equipment. Studies show the most efficiency is obtained when we follow this protocol.

Cpap Filter every 15 days.

Cpap Hose every 3 months.

Cpap Mask every 3 months.

Cpap Headgear every 6 month.

Cushion for Mask every 1 month.

What happens if you don't follow it? What happens when you don't change the oil in the car for every 3000 miles? What happens when you don't change you AC filter regularly?

Their wouldn't be much affect of your Cpap or Bipap  Machine when you don't change your supplies regularly or clean them regularly and what is the use of using it?

What Is The Easiest Way to Sanitize My CPAP Equipment?

Imagine being able to destroy and kill 99% of the bacteria, viruses and mold on your CPAP equipment? Most people believe that only a heavy duty, industrial medical sterilizing machine can have that kind of disinfecting power. In fact, you can have this kind of disinfecting power in your own home. Introducing the SoClean 2, which offers one of the easiest and most convenient ways to sanitize your CPAP mask, hose, reservoir and other accessories. The SoClean 2 utilizes activated oxygen molecules, which are strong enough to destroy mold, viruses and bacteria. The best part is that the SoClean 2 is totally automated and you don’t have to take your equipment apart, which can save you a whole lot of time and frustration. Also, you don’t need to worry about rinsing or waiting for anything to dry – the SoClean 2 will tell you when your equipment has thoroughly been sanitized.

    SoClean also has a solution for cleaning on the go. Keeping your CPAP clean in hotels or on the road can be tough. Take the SoClean 2 Go with you and leave the hassle behind.

So, what are you waiting for? – Wouldn't you like to breathe easier knowing that your CPAP equipment is totally disinfected and not crawling with germs?