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What is Microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a medical condition in which the circumference of the head is smaller than normal because the brain has not developed properly or has stopped growing.
Microcephaly can be present at birth or it may develop in the first few years of life. It is most often caused by genetic abnormalities that interfere with the growth of the cerebral cortex during the early months of fetal development. It is associated with Down's syndrome, chromosomal syndromes, and neurometabolic syndromes.
Babies may also be born with microcephaly if, during pregnancy, their mother abused drugs or alcohol, became infected with a cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), or varicella (chicken pox) virus, was exposed to certain toxic chemicals, or had untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). This can also be caused by the mother having the Zika virus during pregnancy.
Babies born with microcephaly will have a smaller than normal head that will fail to grow as they progress through infancy. Depending on the severity of the accompanying syndrome, children with microcephaly may have mental retardation, delayed motor functions and speech, facial distortions, dwarfism or short stature, hyperactivity, seizures, difficulties with coordination and balance, and other brain or neurological abnormalities.
Some children with microcephaly will have normal intelligence and a head that will grow bigger, but they will track below the normal growth curves for head circumference.
Is there any treatment? There is no treatment for microcephaly that can return a child's head to a normal size or shape. Treatment focuses on ways to decrease the impact of the associated deformities and neurological disabilities.
Children with microcephaly and developmental delays are usually evaluated by a pediatric neurologist and followed by a medical management team. Early childhood intervention programs that involve physical, speech, and occupational therapists help to maximize abilities and minimize dysfunction. Medications are often used to control seizures, hyperactivity, and neuromuscular symptoms. Genetic counseling may help families understand the risk for microcephaly in subsequent pregnancies.
What is the prognosis? Some children will only have mild disability. Others, especially if they are otherwise growing and developing normally, will have normal intelligence and continue to develop and meet regular age-appropriate milestones.
What research is being done? The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research relating to microcephaly in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and supports additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. A small group of researchers studying a rare neurometabolic syndrome (3-PGDH), which causes microcephaly, have successfully used amino acid replacement therapy to reduce and prevent seizures.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agothat which is either two or three standard deviations (a statistical measure of variability) below the normal average head circumference for the age, gender, and race of the child.
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Behavioral attributes is defined as individual characteristics that may be measured by the performance measured that is considered effective. An example of a behavioral attribute is discipline. An individual who has good discipline can make wise choices with positive benefits.
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Why is salt considered safe while chlorine gas is not? Compounds don't always have the same properties as the individual elements they are made of. The deadly chlorine is bound to sodium (also not safe to consume) to make a newcompound that is not only harmless, but necessary for life. Each chemical has to be tested and confirmed safe as it is, not on how it's individual parts behave.
What is the bmr for a 14 year old boy that weights 120 lbs?
The bmr is calculated from an individual's height and weight. Anything over about 25 is considered overweight.
Changes of state are considered physical changes because?
Physical changes are changes that don't change the structure of the individual molecules. Though heating a liquid to a gas will change how the molecules are bound to each other, the individual molecules will not change. This is contrasted from a chemical change, where the atoms of the molecules are rearranged.
Which of these individuals is most likely to be successful in an evolutionary sense?
an organism that dies after 5 days of life but leaves 10 offspring, all of whom survive to reproduce
What is benign microcephaly of infancy?
Head circumference is a direct reflection of head growth When the growth is below norms it is classed as microcephaly. The result of microcephaly is a degree of retardation in growth. If the microcephaly is benign, the limitation is not significant in development.
How prevalent is microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a rare neurological condition and occurs worldwide. Little detailed information on the prevalence of the disorder is available. Microcephaly does not appear to be more prevalent among any race or one gender
What are the special concerns regarding patients with microcephaly?
As microcephaly is often associated with chromosomal abnormalities, the specific genetic cause for a person's microcephaly should be determined, if possible. Genetic counseling is available to help parents
Does fetus head circumference in the 2nd percentile mean microcephaly?
Microcephaly is an extremely rare condition in which the fetus's head circumference is lower then one percentile.
Why did scientists make skull casts of modern individuals with microcephaly?
Scientists made skull casts of modern individuals with microcephaly to study the physical characteristics and differences in skull shape compared to normal individuals. By examining these casts, researchers can better understand the condition of microcephaly and how it affects the development of the skull. This research can also help in diagnosing and distinguishing microcephaly from other cranial abnormalities.
How long do you live if you have microcephaly?
they live to be 20 or to aleast 35 if they are lucky
What does the damage of microcephaly come from?
The damage from microcephaly comes because of the cramped interior of the skull. This lack of space exerts pressure on the growing brain. This causes impairment and delayed development of functions such as speech and control of muscles
What are the non-genetic causes of microcephaly?
Other possible causes of microcephaly include infections during pregnancy (rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis), adverse effects of medication, and the excessive use of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy
What is the life expectancy of a child with microcephaly?
20 to 35 years of age if you are lucky
What does the Zika virus cause?
In most people it doesn't cause much of a disease except some flu like systems but in unborn babies it can cause the cortex of the brain to not develop. Since the brain is now much smaller, the skull forming around the brain becomes smaller. This condition is called microcephaly. Children with microcephaly often have developmental issues. Generally there's no treatment for microcephaly.
What causes a baby to have a normal size body and a really small head before birth?
Microcephaly is a condition that causes a baby to have a normal size body and a really small head before birth. Microcephaly can also occur after birth.
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Cannibal is a word to describe an individual. Regardless of the individual knowing what the term means, that individual can still be considered a cannibal by others.
