What Illnesses/ health-related suffering are we talking about?
The true scope of Pain and Palliative Care encompasses the care of a patient with a life-limiting illness, including, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease, Stroke, Neurological illnesses, cerebral palsy, cancer, AIDS, geriatric care, paediatric palliative care and those near the end of life.
What is Palliative medicine?
Palliative care is a speciality in medicine that provides supportive care and symptom control for individuals across all ages with serious health-related suffering due to severe illness or its treatment. It aims to improve in a holistic manner, the quality and dignity of life of patients and their caregivers. Early integration of palliative care has proved scientifically to improve the longevity of life.
When Should One Seek An Opinion From A Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Expert?
If your child is diagnosed with any of the above-mentioned conditions.
If your physician/pediatrician has advised a bone marrow transplant as an option.
Children who are diagnosed with cancers and do not respond to chemotherapy.
Children who remain unwell and have recurrent infections. Immunological testing and a visit to an Immunologist is warranted. The immunologist would guide you, in case a transplant is needed in your situation.
What Are The Steps Involved In Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)?
Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) is a complex procedure requiring hospitalization for a month and sometimes longer.
Following are the steps involved:
The patient is evaluated for the need for a transplant. In some conditions, a bone marrow transplant is an emergency (for example – severe combined immune deficiency), while in others, it is an elective procedure wherein patients are stabilized before undergoing a transplant.
Donor selection – Akin to blood transfusion, where one needs to transfuse blood with the right blood group; a match between the donor and recipient is of paramount importance in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). HLA matching is carried out using blood samples or buccal swabs. Healthy siblings who are fully matched on HLA typing offer the best outcome in most of the transplants. Haploidentical transplants (with mother/father being the donor) and matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplants are the other options.
Conditioning – Here, the patient is admitted and medications are administered to prepare him/her for the transplant.
Bone marrow transplant – Bone marrow-derived from the donor is administered as an intravenous infusion to the patient.
Post-transplant recovery – The Patient is given medications and is observed for recovery. This period involves periodic blood tests to ensure recovery is smooth.
What Are The Conditions That Warrant Bone Marrow Transplant?
The broad group of conditions where Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) is useful are as follow -
If the bone marrow starts failing to produce blood elements – Aplastic anemia. These individuals have low hemoglobin, white cell counts, and platelet counts and require monthly blood transfusions. Providing new bone marrow from a healthy donor can cure these patients.
If the hemoglobin is abnormal – Thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and other hemoglobinopathies. These children require periodic blood transfusions and Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) can be curative for these diseases.
Cancers–Blood cancers (acute leukemia), solid tumors (neuroblastoma), and many other cancers can be treated with Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).
Primary Immune Deficiency diseases – Some children are born with a problem in their immune system and fall ill repeatedly. They may be hospitalized for infections on several occasions. Repeated ear discharge, pneumonia, or diarrhea are often noted. Such children require immunological testing. In many of these immune deficiencies, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) is curative. Severe Combined Immune Deficiency is often present in young children who fail to gain normal weight and fall ill repeatedly. This condition is universally fatal without a Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).
Metabolic diseases – Some children are born with defects in the enzymes required for a normal metabolism - Inherited disorders of metabolism, congenital storage diseases.
What Constitutes A Healthy Back?
Our spine is nature’s extraordinary miracle. Several complex structures come together to provide the human body with a fine balance of protection, support, strength and movement. A healthy spine is not just the bony segments but a combination of several ‘supporting structures’ - protective discs, strong muscles and attached ligaments and tendons. The 24 bony segments or vertebral bodies or vertebrae in the spine are interspersed with a tough, yet soft gel-like cushion or shock-absorber, called intervertebral disc. The muscles surrounding the spine or ‘para-spinal muscles’ are attached to the bones through ligaments. Together these structures, called the ‘natural tension band’ provide mobility, strength and protection to the back. The core of our spine’s movement, structure and flexibility comes from complex biomechanics of the bony vertebrae and supporting structures. Often compared to a ‘crane’, it is said that for the spine to be stable, all elements must be intact and function in unison.
What Can I Do To Maintain My Spinal Health?
A healthy back is a combination of healthy bones, mobile joints, and strong muscles. Unfortunately, a complex system like our back or spine is prone to issues arising from one or more malfunctioning elements. Any disturbance to the spine and it’s supporting structures due to aging, trauma, lifestyle stresses or other pathologies can lead to spinal complications, most commonly appearing as back or neck pain. Maintaining a healthy spine is almost non-negotiable to ensure a healthy, pain-free and active life. Simple activities such as maintaining healthy posture, regular exercise, good nutrition and regular exposure to the sun, go a long way in maintaining a healthy spine.
How does the ED Works
The department is divided into a number of different areas with different functions. This includes but not limited to: Triage, Waiting Area, Fast track, Resuscitation unit with priority Red zone, Advanced Resuscitation zone, Paediatric Resuscitation zone, and Clinical Decision Unit, etc.
Is cancer curable?
Yes, cancer is a curable disease, if it is diagnosed at an early stage (Stage I and II) and appropriate treatment is prescribed by cancer specialists. The highly treatable types of cancers are breast cancer, skin cancer (non-melanomas), colon cancer, prostate cancer, testis cancer, and cervical cancer.
In the present day, even the early stage IV cancer can be curable. The focus has shifted to intent. From Stage I to early Stage IV (limited metastases) the approach now is with the intent to cure. The increasing use of immunotherapy and/or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) in early-stage IV is a welcome development.
Visit Best Cancer Centre in Bangalore to avail the advanced treatments for cancer.
Can radiotherapy cause hair loss on the scalp?
Yes, radiotherapy can cause hair loss only when treating head, brain or scalp of a patient. It means hair loss is a common side effect that occurs in the area being treated with radiotherapy. Usually, hairs will start to fall out 2 to 3 weeks after treatment starts.
In a female, radiotherapy to the breasts will lose hair in the armpit and male hair loss will occur in facial/beard/mustache.
With radiotherapy of the head, brain and scalp, earlier the hair loss used to be permanent due to higher effect on the skin. In the present day, all these situations hairs start to regrow from 6 months to 1year in almost all people. In many it comes to the original level.
