Research Paper
PREVENTABLE MENTAL RETARDATION IN NEWBORNS: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE
Author: Rakesh Kumar Kalra1, Manish Raj Kulshrestha2,, Piyush Bansal3, Sumit Dokwal2,, Rupita Kulshrestha4***
1Senior Resident, Department of pediatrics,Lady Harding Medical College,New Delhi, India. Email: rkalra13@gmail.com, 2Demonstrator, Department of biochemistry,Pt BDSPGIMS, Rohtak, India.Email:drmrkul@gmail.com, drsumitdokwal80@gmail.com,.3Assistant Professor, Department of biochemistry,ESI Medical College,Mandi, Himanchal Pradesh, India. Email:piyushmamc03@gmail.com,
4Senior resident, Department of obstetrics and gynaecology,Pt BDSPGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Email: rupita.kulshrestha@gmail.c
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ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
According to WHO, 4% of the population in India is mentally retarded, and 5 to 15% of sick newborns have a metabolic problem. Because of high birth rate, almost half a million infants with congenital malformation and/or inborn errors of metabolism are born every year in India and even an apparently healthy newborn has a significant risk of being maimed or killed by inborn error of metabolism. If detected early some of them are treatable or at least complications are preventable in many instances. Thus, mass screening is needed to prevent disability and death by early intervention, follow-up and counselling.
METHODS:
The study was conducted in department of biochemistry and department of pediatrics, Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana. All the newborns at CMCH from September 2008 to January 2010 were subjected to cord blood TSH estimation for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and urine examination for aminoaciduria by thin layer chromatography (TLC).
RESULT:
The observed incidence of congenital hypothyroidism and aminoaciduria among neonates born or admitted in Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana is 1:775 and 1:1550 respectively.
DISCUSSION:
The actual incidence in the community may be higher as all deliveries are not being conducted in hospitals. Prevalence of CH seems to be higher in this part of globe than that suggested by earlier studies while prevalence of aminoaciduria in this part of India is different from that in western countries as well as southern India; Homocystinuria is the commonest aminoaciduria in this study population. However, larger multicentric screening programmes are required to find out the clear picture as well as to decrease/eliminate the burden of preventable mental retardation from the country.
KEYWORDS: Aminoaciduria, Neonates, Incidence
