Blog #3 - Uganda

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Blog #3

There is a debilitating disease known only as “nodding disease” affecting the children of Uganda. The mysterious disease is also a mystery to health officials. In one village almost every family has one child with the condition. The disease gets the name from a symptom, which looks like they are nodding to sleep. The children when “nodding” try their best to pay attention and not lose focus but they look as if they are falling asleep. They state they are not tired but during a “nodding” they cannot focus. A lot the children afflicted by this disease die at a young age. It was noted that they fall into cooking fires when they lose consciousness. Some children are even abandoned by their parents because they lose ability to function.

            Children with “nodding disease” have to be watched closely because they could easily be hurt. Parents have been known to throw children into the street. They are tired of caring for them and ask how log they are expected to do this. The World Health Organization does not even know the cause of the condition but still have no answers. Those with the disease usually have stunted growth. Children with the disease also lose cognitive ability and have been identified as a brain disease. They have tried Epilepsy drugs to control the nodding episodes and the seizures that come along with it. The physiology of the disease is understood however the cause is not known. One clue is that all children with the “nodding disease” also have onchocerciasis. Onchocerciasis can cause blindness and is a parasitic condition. The mystery of the disease creates a sense of urgency for the villagers.

            This disease has great implications for the global community. There is not a lot known about the disease. With children seemingly losing the ability to function if other places began to be affected it would be devastating. Officials are working to learn more about it. However what is know now is frightening especially if the disease were to spread.

 http://www.ghfn.org/3-stories_videos-individual/nodding-disease-baffles-experts

Latina Brooks

02/14/2013 3:53pm