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Microcephaly Awareness Day

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Tawny

Tawny Report 30 Sep 2021 16:52

Today is Microcephaly Awareness Day. A condition close to my heart as one of my stepsons was born with it.

Essentially small head syndrome. They are usually underweight and dwarfed compared to other children their age. They may have seizures, delayed motor functions, delayed speech and intellectual disability.

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 30 Sep 2021 19:25

It must bring many challenges to the family, Tawney.
I hope your stepson is given all the help available.

A few years ago there was quite a bit in the news about this condition, particularly in South America, but I have never come across it.

Tawny

Tawny Report 1 Oct 2021 06:40

He is thank you Gwyn. Microcephaly is rare and sometimes they can’t tell why it happens.

nameslessone

nameslessone Report 1 Oct 2021 12:41

An awful thing to have happen to family.
but why have the Zika babies disappeared from the news. Now that they are older they will need more help, or did they not survive?

JoyLouise

JoyLouise Report 1 Oct 2021 16:56

I was thinking the very same, Names.

SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 1 Oct 2021 17:44

I'm not sure that many of the Zika babies have survived. For one thing, the care in most of the S. American countries that were affected was much poorer than in the UK or the US.

The life expectancy was only 2 or 3 years, if I remember correctly. Much depends of course on the severity, as for microcephalic babies not affected by Zika, but caused by abnormal brain growth due to unknown causes.

But also like everything else, after a certain period of time, something else happens that takes the headlines. It is still occurring, of course, in many warmer countries.