YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE/DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD: COMA
A child who is in a coma is unconscious; that is, he is unaware of his surroundings, and cannot be woken. There are various degrees of coma, from a light coma in which the child responds to being touched, to a deep coma in which there is no response to stimuli, and in which the child may even require artificial ventilation.
Cause
There are numerous possible causes for coma in children, including drug overdose, alcohol poisoning, meningitis or encephalitis, and head injury. An extremely low blood sugar in diabetics can also lead to unconsciousness.
Investigations
Blood and urine tests may be performed, in addition to X-rays and a CT scan, to determine the cause of the coma.
All children in a coma are admitted to hospital for assessment and treatment. The type of treatment depends on the degree and cause of the coma, but includes intravenous infusion and around-the-clock nursing care and life support facilities.
cause. It the coma is irreversible the outlook is poor. However, if the cause can be treated and the child shows improvement, this is a positive sign for recovery, which may be partial or complete. The exact treatment and outlook varies with the cause, severity and duration of the coma.
Prevention
Drugs and poisons should be kept away from children. Head injuries causing coma can be minimised by insisting on helmets for bike-riding and horse-riding.
Regular monitoring and good control in a diabetic child can prevent dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, thus minimising any likelihood of diabetic coma.
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