respiratory distress Archives

Cesar Watson-King: 12 year old suffers cardiac arrest after…

3 September 2024
by admin

Another ugly side of social media has come to the fore. A young boy has suffered a deadly cardiac arrest after inhaling from a deodorant can.
12 year old Cesar Watson-King, from Doncaster has allegedly inhaled a can of anti-perspirant last month after being shown the craze, ‘chroming‘, by an older boy, The Daily Mail reported.
Chroming, popularized by social media users, is a trend where individuals inhale the toxic fumes from deodorant cans or hairspray and nail polish remover in order to get high.Chroming, an internet slang that is said to have originated from Australia encourages youngsters to embark on a mission that can have a life threatening consequence.

Shortly after Cesar inhaled the substance, his mother, found him on the kitchen floor having a seizure. She immediately began CPR to help him breathe while his brother called for an ambulance. Cesar was quickly taken to the hospital, where he experienced additional seizures and a cardiac arrest, leading to him being placed in a medically induced coma.
Inhalation of toxic fumes can have severe and immediate effects on the body, particularly on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. When toxic substances, such as chemicals or gases, are inhaled, they can irritate or damage the airways and lungs. This irritation may lead to acute respiratory distress, causing symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

The impact on the cardiovascular system can be equally alarming. Toxic fumes may contain substances that interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen or affect the heart’s ability to function properly. For instance, carbon monoxide, a common component of toxic fumes, binds to hemoglobin in the blood more effectively than oxygen, reducing the amount of oxygen available to the body’s tissues. This can lead to hypoxia, where organs and tissues are deprived of adequate oxygen. In extreme cases, this lack of oxygen can lead to a cardiac arrest, where the heart suddenly stops beating. Symptoms can include chest pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and loss of consciousness. Prompt actions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced medical treatments are crucial for increasing the chances of survival and recovery.
‘I’d say to the kids, it’s not worth it. It might feel good but it definitely doesn’t when you’re in the hospital trying to breathe for yourself and the pain you cause to your parents,’ the mother of the 12 year old told the media.

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Science & Environment

4 yr old child in India tests positive for…

12 June 2024
by admin

As human cases of bird flu are being detected in several parts of the country, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed one such case in India.
“This is the second human infection of avian influenza A(H9N2) notified to WHO from India, with the first in 2019. The child has recovered and was discharged from hospital,” the WHO has said in a press release.

The patient is a 4-year-old child residing in West Bengal state

As per the WHO, the child had fever and abdominal pain on January 26.On February 1, the child was admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of a local hospital due to the persistence of severe respiratory distress, recurrent high-grade fever and abdominal cramps; the child had developed seizures before that as well.
The next day, the child tested positive for influenza B and adenovirus at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at the local government hospital. On 3 March, with a recurrence of severe respiratory distress, he was referred to another government hospital and was admitted to the pediatric ICU and intubated. On 5 March, a nasopharyngeal swab was sent to the Kolkata Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory and tested positive for influenza A (not sub-typed) and rhinovirus, the WHO has said. ” On 26 April, the sample was sub-typed as influenza A(H9N2) through a real-time polymerase chain reaction. On 1 May, the patient was discharged from the hospital with oxygen support. Information on the vaccination status and details of antiviral treatment were not available at the time of reporting,” the press release adds.

What might have caused this infection?

Exposure to poultry could be a reason for the infection. This is the second human infection of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection notified to WHO from India, with the first in 2019.

What is H9N2?

H9N2 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus that primarily affects birds but can also infect humans. It’s one of the less pathogenic strains, often causing mild to moderate respiratory illness. Despite its lower pathogenicity, H9N2 is of significant concern due to its potential to reassort with other influenza viruses, potentially leading to more virulent strains. Human cases are rare but have been reported, typically involving individuals with close contact with poultry.

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