Neonatologist -Paediatrician
Medicine = science & enabling parents/children = art
Information, advocacy, advice = #ChildHealthMatters
Esoteric @FoolzWizdom
Jul 29 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
#monkeypox 1. Simply put, a milder version of smallpox, caused by a virus of the same family 2. Was endemic (low level regular occurrence) in some African countries, we now have a global spread but no known epidemiological source 3. Self limiting illness with low CFR (3-6%) 4. Illness can last 2-4 wk, could be more severe in kids and rare complications include eye scarring, secondary infections & pneumonia 5. Although contagious, intimate & prolonged contact with infected person or contact with body fluids directly or from linen etc is needed
Jan 30 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
#AntimicrobialResistance is a manmade disaster.
It is amongst the top 10 public health threats facing Humanity.
Available data analysed (for 2019)
4.95 M Deaths
189 M Years of Life lost thelancet.com/journals/lance…
1/n
Global burden of the disease due to AMR is huge, highest in Africa and South Asia 2/n
What do we know from South Africa
-7% of infected kids needed hospitalisation
-18% of all hospital admissions were paediatric
-Paediatric admissions peaked prior to adult admissions
- 0 to 4 group needed most admissions
2/n South Africa (Contd)
- Short admission (mean of 3.2 days)
- 92% needed only ward care (NO HDU/ICU)
-25% needed some oxygen
- 6% needed ventilator care
Overall: early sharp increase in admissions especially 0-4 yo, but most needed short hospital stay and did well.
Global prevalence of #obesity doubled b/n 1990-2005 steep ⬆️ in school age kids
1 in 5 Indian child is obese - predicted 17 million will be by 2025
Ill effects of #childhoodobesity
Immediate - ⬆️BP/Cholesterol, joint/muscle problems, gall stones, heartburn, diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea
+ anxiety, depression, bullying, low self esteem
Long term - Risk of adult obesity/severe obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers
Feb 23, 2021 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
#ChildHealthMatters
Childhood #Asthma: not unusual to see some wishing it away. It’s stigmatised and poorly managed. Knowing triggers that can be avoided is the first step. Children need personalised Rx plan
9 Asthma Triggers and What to do About Them healthychildren.org/English/health…
Let us take up:
1.Can you prevent #Asthma? 2. Can you cure Asthma? 3. Will my child get 'addicted' to inhalers? 4. You have prescribed steroids!! 5. Can I try alternative medicine/no medicine?
Feb 22, 2021 • 9 tweets • 5 min read
#ChildHealthMatters
Early Childhood Development (ECD) = critical period with consequences for lifetime. A thread:
The brain grows and develops in complexity at a phenomenal rate in first 2-3 years: forming new connections at an astounding rate of >1million per second!
The baby's brain comes with a blue print: genes, but needs critical components to achieve its potential: 1. Nutrition 2. Protection 3. Stimulation The first #1000Days and a bit beyond are crucial for Nature and Nurture to play their role