The Medical Freedom Channel

“Some of the intense care given to the smallest premature infants may be a little too intense, suggested two studies published Wednesday. One showed that light treatment for jaundice may overwhelm the smallest infants while another questions the practice of giving insulin to premature newborns. Dr. Brenda Morris of the University of Texas Medical School in Houston and colleagues found that babies weighing less than 2 pounds (1 kg) were slightly more likely to die if they were given early light therapy for rising levels of bilirubin, the compound that can turn the skin yellow but, more dangerously, can cause permanent brain damage. When the liver is slow to clear bilirubin, which can be toxic if too much accumulates, high-intensity light is used to break down the compound from outside the body. The study of 1,974 infants, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found aggressively treating rising bilirubin levels reduces the rate of brain injury in the form of cerebral palsy, blindness, severe hearing loss and poor cognitive development.” (10/30/08)