Saturday, October 1, 2011

Nodding Syndrome

Nodding Syndrome, while not particularly new, was recently featured on a BBC Health Check. According to Scientific American it is primarily found in East Africa in South Sudan and Northern Uganda and occurs in children aged 5-15. It is unknown what causes the syndrome but the symptoms include seizures when cold or eating familiar food that cause the head to nod, impairs physical and cognitive development, and studies have found brain damage. As a result of the seizures occurring when the child eats, malnutrition is also commonly found with sufferers of the disease. In addition, the affected children are prone to drowning or burning accidents do to being suseptible to seizures at times when those are possibilities.
It is unknown what the cause is but there have been many theories, the majority of which have been disproved or are inconclusive. The syndrome has increased in prevalence and there are concerns about what causes it so that the source of contraction can be made clear; many sufferers stop going to school due to the fears of others contracting the disease.

-Rebeca

1 comment:

  1. http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20111010-304244.html

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