Paediatrician warns against scarification as cure for convulsion

Date: 2023-09-15

Prof. Muhammed Adeboye, of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Ilorin has warned mothers and caregivers against performing scarification on babies to cure Febrile Convulsion.

Scarification is a form of body modification that involves purposefully cutting into the skin to create scars in specific designs, patterns, or markings. Many indigenous cultures have traditionally used scarification as a ritualistic practice.

Adeboye gave the warning in Ilorin while delivering a paper at the 241st Inaugural Lecture of the university, titled: “Myriads and Hazy Qualms in the Child's Global Health and the Brain”.

He described Febrile Convulsion as a condition in which children suffering from fever between the ages of six months to five years convulse in the absence of intracranial or other define means.

The don, who teaches in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the university, said the act is a frightening experience to most mothers.

According to him, over 60 per cent of the caregivers apply one or more home interventions including insertion of spoon in between a child's teeth and application of balm on child's body.

Others, he explained, include rubbing of onion on a child's face, administering of cow urine and palm oil concoctions among others.

Adeboye said some of these concoctions were predominantly used by families with lower economic incomes.

He stated that febrile convulsion and sickle cell diseases are very common in tropical countries and both are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

“Nigeria has the highest prevalence of Sickle Cell disease. We set out to explore the pattern of haemoglobin electrophoresis in patients with febrile convulsion.

“We established the rarity of febrile convulsion in children with haemoglobin SS, because severe anaemia is always an accompanying derangement in them.

“Whereas, packed cell volume is nearly normal in children with normal haemoglobin genotype with febrile convulsion,” he said.

The paediatrician appealed to parents to present their children with medical complaints early to save lives and other complications.

He explained further that immunisation is harmless and do more good than bad, while also advising on exclusive breastfeeding of babies for the first six months.

Adeboye also advised the Federal Government to prioritise vaccine production and protection, adding that government should sustain effort made from experience of COVID-19.

He called for the establishment of New-born Screening Programme which should be made as standard as lots of potential are lost due to late presentation or late diagnosis of sickness in babies.

(NAN)

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Toyin Abdullahi     Kwara Volleyball Association     Agboola Abdulraheem     Osi     Okin High School     Harafat E. Mukadam     Elesie Of Esie     Christopher Odetunde     Bamikole Omishore     Ajike People Support Centre     Olubukola Kifayat Adedeji     Amusa Bello     Aminu Adisa Logun     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Aliyu Alhassan     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Elerin Of Adanla     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Kpotum Mohammed Baba     Bukola Ajikobi     Turaki Of Ilorin     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Yomi Ogunsola     Muhammadu Buhari     Abdullahi G. Mohammad     Kemi Adeosun     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Islamic Development Bank     NITDA     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Jimba Babatunde     Apaola     Albert Ogunsola     MMWG     Ijagbo Health Centre     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     KWASAA     Chief Of Staff     Shao     Coronavirus     Kunle Okeowo     Wahab Femi Agbaje     Temitope Ogunbanke     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Egbewole     Zainab Abass     Admiralty Villa     Segun Ogunsola     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Olatunde Olukoya     Funmilayo Mohammed     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Abdullahi Biffo     Kwara State Polytechnic     Shehu Salau     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Baba Isale     Kanu Agabi     Bond     Talaka Parapo     Owu Fall     Grillo     Elelu     Pakata     ARMTI     Kulende     Esinniobiwa Quareeb     Omotoso     Lateef Fagbemi     Olatunji Ayeni     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Oluwole Dupe     Gobirawa     Pilgrims Board     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Umaru Saro     Abatemi Usman     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Hussein Olokooba     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Samuel Adaramola     Christopher Tunji Ayeni     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen     Suwa-Arabs     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Mohammed Danjuma     Yinka Aluko     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Iliasu     Taofik Abiodun Ahmed     Prince Sunday Fagbemi     CLAY POT     Bisi Oyeleke     Press Release     Alagbado     Salihu S. Yaru     Simon Sayomi     Hassanat Bello     Kumbi Titilope     Oko Erin     Oniwasi Agbaye     Mahmud Durosinlohun Atiku     Ileloke     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Kwara State Council Of Chiefs     Ilorin Central Mosque     Peter Obi     Mohammed Halidu     Revenue Court     Tanke Flyover Bridge     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools     Moses Rahman Popoola     Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman     SSA Youth     Sunday Popo-Ola     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     IFK     Dankaka     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Owu Fall     LEAH Charity Foundation     Tunde Yusuf     High Court     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Abdulkadir Orire     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Elese Of Igbaja     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     Kwara State University Of Education     UTME     Oloje     Isau     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Ilorin Anchor Men And Women     Vasolar     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Bamidele Adegoke     Gabriel Fashanu     Islamic Development Bank     Abdulganiyu Salahudeen     Olaiya Zuberu     Kisira     Femi Agbaje     Ajayi Okasanmi     Kwara State Governor     Sheikh Ariyibi     Sheriff Shagaya     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange