Watching my Niece Grow.. A G6PD Baby.

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My cousin told me her baby was diagnosed with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency  or G6PD deficiency.. It's a rare inherited condition where the body does not have enough glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This helps the red blood cells (RBC) of the body to function well.

My niece got  this deficiency from her mother or her father. This is hereditary which is passed as along in genes of either one or both parents to their child. But the gene responsible is accounted on the X chromosome as it is a  X-linked recessive hereditary disease.

This condition means that the RBC's of my niece have no much protection and can easily be damaged. This is the main function of G6PD. The bones marrow attempts to compensate the reduction of RBC's and when it fails, hemolytic anemia occurs as response also to other causes such as infections, food, medicines or chemicals.

My friend and I talked that the most important thing to do is to avoid anything that will cause destruction of the RBCs or hemolysis. In the event that the child may have attacks, blood transfusion may be necessary. But we will not let that happen as we will always see to it that the child will be protected from attacks. We will be keen with the breathing pattern of child as decrease in RBCs mean changes in breathing. If the child seem weak suddenly, we will have to make sure that she conserves her energy by letting her rest.

Prevention is the best tool that we have. The G6PD deficiency my niece had will be one reality we will accept.  But this is something that we can learn much  to make sure she enjoys her childhood like the rest of other kids will.