BABY AND CHILDHOOD RESPIRATORY DISORDERS: TUBERCULOSIS (T.B.)
Tuberculosis is a serious destructive infection of the lungs. In years past it was a significant cause of death in the community. But in recent times, with improved conditions and especially with improved forms of treatment, it is now rarely seen. However, it must never be dismissed, for it still exists in this country, and every year in recent times increasing numbers of cases have been diagnosed. Often cases may smoulder on for many weeks, months or years, undiagnosed simply because nobody ever thought to look for it.
The disease is transmitted from an individual with an active lesion in the lungs. It travels via droplets of moisture in the air, which are inhaled by another person; and the germ can then set up a slow insidious infection in the new victim. Most likely contact is an adult living in the same home, a parent, grandparent or domestic help. Many recent cases of migrants have been diagnosed, and they would appear to be particularly susceptible.
Early symptoms may be mild or often non-existent. Most cases are found by chance or when contacts of an adult patient are being checked out for possible spread of the disease. Vague general symptoms may be fatigue for no obvious reason, feeling generally off-colour, weight loss, lack of appetite. A cough, typical in adults, may be present in infants though is often absent in children.
Infections occurring in children under the age of three years may be serious. It may also be serious in adolescents, more so than at other periods of childhood.
Treatment
Frequently lesions heal and are not discovered for a long time afterwards (probably on a chance chest X-ray indicating that T.B. had occurred). However, once detected, full and complete medical treatment is essential. This must be under the supervision of a major clinic, usually attached to a big hospital, geared for this problem. Today drug therapy has completely changed the outlook for patients with tuberculosis. Once a common fatal disease, chemotherapy can now completely reverse the disease and the outlook for the future. Nevertheless, adhering exactly to the regimen outlined by the doctors is essential.
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Tags: General health . This entry was posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 2:38 am and is filed under General health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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