Microcephaly

Today I thought of writting about microcephaly..the condition Ridhwan is going through at the moment..the first time I heard about it from Ridhwan's paed I was thinking the worse out of it....but when I read and saw pictures of it..my heart broke down, tears came down my face and all I could see was life was bleak..very bleak...but as a muslim, one must never give up and pray to Allah all the time, as no matter what definition or term these doctors use, we must never give up and believe that with hardwork and lots of doa, whatever symptoms or diagnostic, a cure and miracles always happens...so, for those who read this, please don't despair..yes Ridhwan's head circumference is a bit small compared to the 'expected range' of a normal child's head circumference but if you see around, many child, men and women do have small heads sometimes...I believe even is they say Ridhwan's head is not that big..there sure is a lot of intelligence there...and as for developmental milestones...heck, my father-in-law started talking at 4!! and he has a wonderful wife and 4 children..hmmm..so, medical opinions can say what they want but at the end of the day, its all about the faith and hope.....wallahualam....

What is Microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a medical condition in which the circumference of the head is smaller than normal because the brain has not developed properly or has stopped growing. Microcephaly can be present at birth or it may develop in the first few years of life. It is most often caused by genetic abnormalities that interfere with the growth of the cerebral cortex during the early months of fetal development. It is associated with Down’s syndrome, chromosomal syndromes, and neurometabolic syndromes. Babies may also be born with microcephaly if, during pregnancy, their mother abused drugs or alcohol, became infected with a cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), or varicella (chicken pox) virus, was exposed to certain toxic chemicals, or had untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Babies born with microcephaly will have a smaller than normal head that will fail to grow as they progress through infancy. Depending on the severity of the accompanying syndrome, children with microcephaly may have mental retardation, delayed motor functions and speech, facial distortions, dwarfism or short stature, hyperactivity, seizures, difficulties with coordination and balance, and other brain or neurological abnormalities. Some children with microcephaly will have normal intelligence and a head that will grow bigger, but they will track below the normal growth curves for head circumference.

Is there any treatment?

There is no treatment for microcephaly that can return a child’s head to a normal size or shape. Treatment focuses on ways to decrease the impact of the associated deformities and neurological disabilities. Children with microcephaly and developmental delays are usually evaluated by a pediatric neurologist and followed by a medical management team. Early childhood intervention programs that involve physical, speech, and occupational therapists help to maximize abilities and minimize dysfunction. Medications are often used to control seizures, hyperactivity, and neuromuscular symptoms. Genetic counseling may help families understand the risk for microcephaly in subsequent pregnancies

What is the prognosis?

Some children will only have mild disability. Others, especially if they are otherwise growing and developing normally, will have normal intelligence and continue to develop and meet regular age-appropriate milestones.