Microcephaly, A Condition Every To-Be Parent Must Be Aware Of!

Are you someone who is planning to have a baby soon? Or are you already on your way to becoming a parent?

If yes, then surely you will be going through an emotional journey, which is filled with a lot of joy, fear and anticipation.

The prospect of becoming parents and starting a family can make a couple exhilarated and, at the same time, they also worry about the possible health complications that could occur in the baby during or after pregnancy.

Pregnancy and the consequent childbirth are extremely fragile phases, in which a number of things could go wrong, putting both the mother's and the child's life at risk.

Many a times, even scans may not be able to determine if something is wrong with the foetus, until it is too late to do anything about it.

Right from congenital disorders in unborn babies to miscarriages, there is always a fear of abnormalities and complications that could occur!

Do you what microcephaly is? It is a rare disorder that affects the nervous system of the baby, wherein the infant's brain is not fully developed.

Well, learn more about some of the facts about microcephaly, here.

Fact #1

Microcephaly can either be congenital, as in developed due to abnormalities in the genes or it can be acquired, which is developed due to environmental factors.

Fact #2

The environmental factors which cause microcephaly can be viral infections, exposure to chemicals like lead, malnutrition, use of alcohol or drugs by the pregnant mother, injury to the brain after birth, etc.

Fact #3

Microcephaly can affect a baby while it is still in the womb or it can occur even after a few years from birth.

Fact #4

Usually infants with microcephaly have smaller heads than that of an average baby of the same age.

Fact #5

Some of the most common symptoms of microcephaly include balance and coordination problems, delayed development, trouble swallowing milk, loss of hearing, speech and vision impairments, seizures, etc.

Fact #6

Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for microcephaly; however, some of its symptoms can be treated effectively with the help of regular treatments.

Fact #7

Treatment for microcephaly includes medicines to reduce seizures, medicines to improve nerve functions, speech therapy, physiotherapy, etc.