THE DAMAGE TO THE IMMATURE BRAIN COULD LEAD TO EPILEPSY, SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND CEREBRAL PALSY – Prof. Lagunju

By Kevin Chidiebere Onuegbu

Professor Ikeoluwa Lagunju, a professor from the department of Pediatrics said this recently at the Faculty of Science Lecture Theatre while delivering the 6th Inaugural Lecture of the Department of Pediatrics, also the 458th of the University of Ibadan, titled; “TAMING THE SCOURGE: PANACEA FOR THE DREADED BRAIN CATASTROPHES”.

She made this statement while delineating that the human brain development; a process which began as early as 3 weeks could be exposed to these catastrophes if slightly damaged.

While dwelling more on these scourges, she said that Epilepsy which is one of the oldest diseases of mankind could be developed up to forty percent as a result of brain damage. Children with cerebral palsy have motor handicaps and this creates learning difficulties as a result of the inability of the brain to maintain independence due to damage. While on Sickle cell diseases, she destroyed the myth that only the aged (old) persons can have strokes by stating that ten percent of children with Sickle Cell Disease will have stroke before age twenty while two-third of strokes in children is due to Sickle Cell Disease.

As a panacea to these dreaded brain catastrophes, she concluded the lecture by highlighting five ways which could be used to tackle these scourges. They include; improved funding of the health sector; prevention which is the cost-effective intervention at an early age; early diagnosis of the ailment; public enlightenment; and the provision of social security by the government.