The image embedded above is the cover of the book Special Cases: Natural Anomalies and Historical Monster, from the review at Goodreads. The child in the image had untreated hydrocephalus, a condition where cerebrospinal fluid fails to drain from the skull, and the unfused cranial bones spread widely.
The topic was discussed this week at the always-interesting Quigley's Cabinet, with a link to information about a modern-day child whose family has been unable to afford the appropriate medical treatment: In India, Abdul Rehman's daughter Runa Begum's hydrocephalus has gone untreated because he makes the equivalent of a mere $2.75 a day.
"Day by day, I saw her head growing too big after she was born. It's very difficult to watch her in pain. I pray several times a day for a miracle -- for something to make my child better," he says.
"For some reason have difficulty viewing human weakness"... really? I remember a year or two ago you posting a very violent photo of animal cruelty... I can't remember if it was a dog or what but it was super offensive to put on the front page rather than behind a jump. Your readers come here to learn interesting facts and while human illnesses are interesting to read about, not everyone wants their day to get even dimmer than it already may be by looking at very sad photos of ill children without knowing it first. It has nothing to do with people being on their high horse. Some people would just prefer not to see it because it is at times disturbing and sad. Especially on a day like today.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what point you're trying to make. Those are the reasons I put the photo below the fold.
DeleteYou said for some reason, as if you couldn't understand what reason that would be, he/she explained what that reason might be
Delete@ the second anon: Here's what I said in the post: "In deference to those readers of this blog who for some reason have difficulty viewing human illness, I'll place the photo of her in her father's arms below the fold..."
DeleteI wrote that BEFORE the first anonymous person explained why he/she has difficulty with such photos. And my statement does NOT mean I don't understand what reasons people have; it means I understand they may have objections for a variety of reasons.
Oh this is so sad.... something that in the developed world could be handled for a handful of dollars. I appreciate your warning about the graphic nature of the photo but, personally, found it both beautiful and tragic. It makes me want to make a difference somehow.
ReplyDeleteExcept that we have children right here in the good old U.S.A. who don't receive good medical/dental/eye care "for a handful of dollars." Yes, if we are made aware of an individual in a well-publicized case, that child may get help in time, but how many children get little or no care -- we need a single-provider health insurance for everyone in our country. And it is so sad.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. We are the only "First World" country without universal health care. Obamacare is a step in the right direction but the insurance companies still have too much control.
DeleteDear Anon. Like everything online, if it upsets you, you can choose not to view it. When somebody has a blog, the content is chosen wholly by them. Feel free to vote with your mouse, than whine with your keyboard.
ReplyDeleteu cant choose not to view it in this case. you scroll down and 'there it is' youve seen it!!
DeleteSo, is there any way I can donate directly to this family?
ReplyDeletePlease let me know if the comments or ask and I'll leave my email in the comments to contact me directly.
Izabela - Good on you. Alas, as Quigley writes: "even if the publicity results in donations, it is too late for treatment. Draining off the fluid at this point will probably cause her brain to bleed or collapse."
ReplyDeleteIt would be good though if donations could prevent similar cases in future. While there are many causes of hydrocephalus in infants, adding folic acid to the diet of the mothers can help. Women of childbearing age can significantly reduce their risk of having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD), such as spina bifida by increasing folates. It takes very little: 0.4 mg folic acid would reduce risk of NTD by 36%, 1 mg folic acid would reduce risk by 57%, and 5 mg would reduce risk by 85%.
Foods that are naturally high in folic acid include spinach (130 µg/half cup), navy beans (125 µg/cup), wheat germ (80 µg/cup), avocados (55 µg/cup), and oranges (45 µg/cup).
As you can guess, I'm a big fan of educating girls ... "When you educate a woman, you educate the whole family" ...
Might as well have Sarah McLachlan on autoplay for this.
ReplyDeleteIn the upper image, I can't understand why the cranium is split as wide open as it is. After the skull sutures opened, the pressure should have abated completely. WHY did the sutures open up by several inches? That seems to make no sense - even though there is the evidence right in front of us. Something does not compute.
ReplyDeleteThe treatment for hydrocephaly is to shunt the fluid out of the cranium, so that the pressure is relieved. Once the sutures opened, the pressure should have been relieved, too.
But the widening of the sutures doesn't relieve the pressure the way a ventriculoperitoneal shunt does, because in the illustrated case the fluid is still contained within the dura mater, which expanded to the size of a basketball.
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