What is microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a congenital deformity in which the child's head is smaller than the normal size, as is found in children of the same age and sex, and often the child with baldness has a small brain, and may not develop and grow normally.
During pregnancy, the fetus's normal head grows because its brain grows and enlarges, and with regard to baldness, the head remains small because its brain did not grow normally during pregnancy, or because it stopped growing after birth. Baldness may occur alone or be associated with other congenital abnormalities, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. And prevention, according to what was reported by news agencies.
Birth microcephaly or stunted growth:
According to the World Health Organization, microcephaly is a condition in which an infant is born small-headed or whose head stops growing after birth. It is a rare condition that affects only one infant out of thousands. One of the most accurate ways to assess whether a child has microcephaly or not is to measure the circumference of his head 24 hours after birth, compare the result with the growth standards in place in the organization and continue to measure the rate of Head growth during early childhood.
An infant born with a small head may have convulsions and suffer from physical and learning disabilities as he grows older. There are no specific tests to determine whether the infant will be born with a small head or not, but ultrasound imaging in the last trimester of pregnancy can sometimes identify the problem, and there is no specific treatment for this problem.
Causes of alopecia:
The World Health Organization has identified possible causes of microcephaly, but the exact causes are still mostly unknown, including:
- Exposure of the mother to toxic chemicals, the most important of which are alcohol, smoking, and exposure to radiation.
- Uterine infections: toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites found in undercooked meat), syphilis, cytomegalovirus, and HIV.
- Genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
- The fetus was exposed to acute malnutrition during its development inside the womb.
Complications of alopecia:
According to what was mentioned by some medical sites, children suffering from this disease enjoy intelligence and normal growth, although their heads remain small in size compared to gender and age, but there are many complications for this abnormal physical condition, such as delayed growth, delay in speech and movement, difficulties in coordination, and Balance, short stature, facial deformities, hyperactivity, intellectual disabilities, and sudden seizures.
Is there a cure for this disease?
There is no specific treatment for microcephaly as reported by the World Health Organization, but it is necessary to form multidisciplinary medical committees to watch over these cases, care for them, and evaluate the condition of children and infants with microcephaly and care for them.
Especially since it has been proven that early intervention associated with stimulation and play programs is able to achieve positive results regarding growth, in addition to that it is necessary to give the necessary and required advice to parents to properly deal with these cases.
Can baldness be prevented?
During pregnancy, the mother must take care of herself and undergo the necessary medical care by following up with a specialized doctor on a regular and monthly basis to know the health status of the fetus, its growth, and the arrival of the necessary nutrients by eating a healthy diet free from foods that are prohibited for pregnant women and that are not compatible with the nature of her pregnancy, and Avoid smoking, alcohol abuse, anxiety and stress.
It is preferable to do an ultrasound examination in the period specified by the doctor, in order to monitor the extent of signs of this disease, and it is also possible to diagnose after birth by measuring the circumference of the newborn’s head.
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Congenital