Everything was smooth & fine after aisy was born. But not until at around 11am monday morning, i was told about Aisy is G6PD deficiency....a term that i only heard it for the first time. Mixture of blur + worried + horror + everything surrounded me. Hearing it makes my heart stops beating-is it serious? Is he sick? Cant stop crying when i think about it.... Trying to surf all over the internet on what its all about and this is what i found!
What is G6PD
G6PD is one of many enzymes that help the body process carbohydrates and turn them into energy. G6PD also protects red blood cells from potentially harmful byproducts that can accumulate when a person takes certain medications or when the body is fighting an infection.
Causes of G6PD Deficiency
G6PD deficiency is passed along in genes from one or both parents to a child. The gene responsible for this deficiency is on the X chromosome(females)are carriers of G6PD deficiency, meaning they can pass the gene for the deficiency to their children but do not have symptoms; only a few are actually affected by G6PD deficiency.
Symptom Trigger
Kids with G6PD deficiency typically do not show any symptoms of the disorder until their red blood cells are exposed to certain triggers, which can be:illness, such as bacterial and viral infectionscertain painkillers and fever-reducing drugscertain antibiotics (especially those that have "sulf" in their names)certain antimalarial drugs (especially those that have "quine" in their names)
Some kids with G6PD deficiency can tolerate the medications in small amounts but others cannot take them at all. Check with your doctor for more specific instructions, as well as a complete list of medications that could pose a problem for a child with G6PD deficiency. Other substances can be harmful to kids with this condition when consumed — or even touched — such as fava beans (kacang parang) and naphthalene (a chemical found in mothballs (ubat gegat) and moth crystals). Mothballs can be particularly harmful if a child accidentally swallows one, so ANY contact should be avoided.
Effect when exposed to the above:
- paleness (in darker-skinned children paleness is sometimes best seen in the mouth, especially on the lips or tongue)
- extreme tiredness
- rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing or shortness of breath
- jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, particularly in newbornsan enlarged spleendark,
- tea-colored urine
Once the trigger is removed or resolved, the symptoms of G6PD deficiency usually disappear fairly quickly, typically within a few weeks. If symptoms are mild, no medical treatment is usually needed. As the body naturally makes new red blood cells, the anemia will improve. If symptoms are more severe, a child may need to be hospitalized for supportive medical care.
Treating the symptoms
It is as simple as removing the trigger — that is, treating the illness or infection or stopping the use of a certain drug. However, a child with severe anemia may require treatment in the hospital to receive oxygen, fluids, and, if needed, a transfusion of healthy blood cells. In rare cases, the deficiency can lead to other more serious health problems.
Caring for Your Child
The best way to care for a child with G6PD deficiency is to limit exposure to the triggers of its symptoms. With the proper precautions, G6PD deficiency should not keep your child from living a healthy, active life.
**So, after reading lotsa aricles + talk to paed, ive got a clear picture on this. Having mr hubby to go thru this together, insyaallah aisy will be fine & lead a normal life. Amin!
**anyone who has kids with G6PD or knew about it, please feel free to share with me.tqvm dearie!
What is G6PD
G6PD is one of many enzymes that help the body process carbohydrates and turn them into energy. G6PD also protects red blood cells from potentially harmful byproducts that can accumulate when a person takes certain medications or when the body is fighting an infection.
Causes of G6PD Deficiency
G6PD deficiency is passed along in genes from one or both parents to a child. The gene responsible for this deficiency is on the X chromosome(females)are carriers of G6PD deficiency, meaning they can pass the gene for the deficiency to their children but do not have symptoms; only a few are actually affected by G6PD deficiency.
Symptom Trigger
Kids with G6PD deficiency typically do not show any symptoms of the disorder until their red blood cells are exposed to certain triggers, which can be:illness, such as bacterial and viral infectionscertain painkillers and fever-reducing drugscertain antibiotics (especially those that have "sulf" in their names)certain antimalarial drugs (especially those that have "quine" in their names)
Some kids with G6PD deficiency can tolerate the medications in small amounts but others cannot take them at all. Check with your doctor for more specific instructions, as well as a complete list of medications that could pose a problem for a child with G6PD deficiency. Other substances can be harmful to kids with this condition when consumed — or even touched — such as fava beans (kacang parang) and naphthalene (a chemical found in mothballs (ubat gegat) and moth crystals). Mothballs can be particularly harmful if a child accidentally swallows one, so ANY contact should be avoided.
Effect when exposed to the above:
- paleness (in darker-skinned children paleness is sometimes best seen in the mouth, especially on the lips or tongue)
- extreme tiredness
- rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing or shortness of breath
- jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, particularly in newbornsan enlarged spleendark,
- tea-colored urine
Once the trigger is removed or resolved, the symptoms of G6PD deficiency usually disappear fairly quickly, typically within a few weeks. If symptoms are mild, no medical treatment is usually needed. As the body naturally makes new red blood cells, the anemia will improve. If symptoms are more severe, a child may need to be hospitalized for supportive medical care.
Treating the symptoms
It is as simple as removing the trigger — that is, treating the illness or infection or stopping the use of a certain drug. However, a child with severe anemia may require treatment in the hospital to receive oxygen, fluids, and, if needed, a transfusion of healthy blood cells. In rare cases, the deficiency can lead to other more serious health problems.
Caring for Your Child
The best way to care for a child with G6PD deficiency is to limit exposure to the triggers of its symptoms. With the proper precautions, G6PD deficiency should not keep your child from living a healthy, active life.
**So, after reading lotsa aricles + talk to paed, ive got a clear picture on this. Having mr hubby to go thru this together, insyaallah aisy will be fine & lead a normal life. Amin!
**anyone who has kids with G6PD or knew about it, please feel free to share with me.tqvm dearie!
2 comments:
Salam,
just nk tahu your review about jemari tradisional servis. Mcm mana penjagaan makcik tu masa dlm pantang ye ok tak?...sbb i also want to take them masa pantang nnti.thanks ya
hi..my daughter ada G6PD. alhamdulillah, sampai dia 3 tahun ni, x de apa2. kacang parang tu mmg avoid, ubat nyamuk pun sama. kena pakai yg organic spray. Public toilet nak masuk pun, kena perhati sama. Takut ada moth ball. Thanx!
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