FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Marilyn K. Potts, APR, Public Relations/Marketing Specialist - (210) 575-0170

San Antonio, Texas -- In concert with the national movement toward more comprehensive screening of newborns, Metropolitan Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital began last week to test every baby in the nursery for bilirubin level, as a standard procedure, much as infants’ hearing is now checked, shortly after birth. The bilirubin level can be checked as easily as taking a baby’s temperature. The new meter is used to obtain this test is like a touch on the forehead.

Metabolic disorders related to high levels of bilirubin are fairly rare. It’s important to test every baby, however, because when high bilirubin levels are not diagnosed, the result is kernicterus, a metabolic disorder which causes permanent damage to the child’s neurological system. The bilirubin level is used, along with the baby’s age in hours, plotted on a nomagram, to predict the likelihood of the baby getting hyperbilirubinemia or Kernicterus. “ One case of Kernicterus is one case to many, when the disorder can be prevented,” said Diana Hagl-Fenton, perinatal educator.

VISUALS:

The test to screen for bilirubin levels can be easily demonstrated. It involves holding a digital device on the baby’s forehead, between the eyes. This test correlates as accurately as the more complicated serum screening.

INTERVIEW:

Call for an interview with Rene Rone, MD and a demonstration on this new “every child” screening standard.

Methodist Healthcare is San Antonio’s largest and most preferred health care provider with 22 facilities including seven acute care hospitals: Methodist Heart Hospita*, Methodist Children’s Hospital of South Texas*, Methodist Hospital, Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital*, Northeast Methodist Hospital*, Metropolitan Methodist Hospital* and Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Hospital.

* A Methodist Hospital facility