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An anomaly that could kill - AS Jayanth in The Hindu

posted Jul 25, 2017, 8:21 PM by Vinod Scaria   [ updated Jul 25, 2017, 8:21 PM ]
Primary immune deficiency disorder could spark prolonged or frequent illness among children

“It is quite normal for a child to develop upper respiratory infections if he or she is exposed to a new atmosphere, like school. However, if the child doesn’t become normal even after repeated courses of medication or if frequent health issues due to infection are noticed, it could be a case of primary immune deficiency disorder,” says Dr. Geeta.

One of the reasons for this is the high incidence of marriages consanguineous marriages, especially in Malabar, she says. The parents of the boy from Malappuram were relatives and their elder son had died in similar conditions earlier. The problem could not be diagnosed then.

Of late, more children are recognised to have such disorders. According to doctors, 70 such cases were diagnosed from the Malabar in the past three years. It could also render children susceptible to malignancies such as cancer and autoimmunity issues.

The awareness about it, however, remains less, says Mohandas Nair, associate professor, Department of Paediatrics, medical college. “Doctors need to know when they should suspect a case of primary immune deficiency disorder. If the disorder is not diagnosed in the first instance, the children don’t stand a second chance,” he says.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/that-infection-in-your-child-could-be-fatal/article19291865.ece
The Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) at Government Medical College Calicut