Immune System

High blood sugar can cause damage to your whole body, including your teeth and gums. Having diabetes can increase your risk of cavities and gum disease even during childhood. If your child has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, then you already know how important it is to keep blood sugar levels under control. High blood sugar increases the supply of sugars and starches in your mouth, contributing to more plaque. The acid in plaque wears away the tooth enamel causing cavities. The plaque can harden under the gum line if you don’t remove it. Eventually, it can cause gingivitis. Gingivitis is swollen gums that bleed easily. It is an early stage of gum disease. If gingivitis is left untreated, it can become more… [more]

I wrote an article last year about MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, because my foster child brought a note home from her school about it. It was not one of those, “This is what contagious disease your child is being exposed to this week,” notes that you get almost every week from public school. The purpose of this informational sheet about MRSA was to calm worried parents because MRSA was getting quite a bit of publicity then. The note suggested washing hands frequently to prevent spreading germs, covering open sores with bandages, and disinfecting surfaces frequently. After reading the note, I was not worried about any of my adopted children getting MRSA. While our house is not spotless, it is cleaned and disinfected at least once a… [more]

Do you have a child that suffers from psoriasis? It is a chronic skin condition that can have a negative impact on a person's quality of life. It can negatively affect self-esteem and relationships. Your child may be embarrassed by the presence of psoriasis and feel insecure about friends seeing it or finding out about it. This could cause your child to avoid close friendships or staying overnight with friends. The characteristics of psoriasis include red, thick, scaly plaques that itch and bleed. Dermatologists have found a correlation between psoriasis, especially severe psoriasis, and a number of serious medical conditions. Some of the severe conditions linked to psoriasis include cardiovascular disease, depression, and cancer. Dermatologist Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard… [more]

Chediak-Higashi syndrome is a rare inherited genetic disorder that affects the immune system and many parts of the body. The disease damages the cells of the immune system, which leaves them unable effectively to fight off viruses and bacteria. Beginning with infancy or early childhood most people with Chediak-Higashi syndrome have repeated and persistent infections. Few people with this condition live to adulthood because the infections tend to be very serious or life-threatening. People with this syndrome also have abnormally light pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes known as oculocutaneous albinism. Those affected usually have fair skin and light-colored hair, which has a metallic sheen. Oculocutaneous albinism also causes vision problems including reduced sharpness, rapid involuntary eye movements, and increased sensitivity to light. Most… [more]

Job syndrome is a relatively rare condition that affects the immune system and several other body systems. Those with this condition commonly struggle with recurrent infections. Job syndrome is characterized by frequent bouts of pneumonia, recurrent skin infections, and eczema. The skin infections cause rashes, blisters, abscesses, open sores, and scaling. Those affected also suffer from recurrent pus in the sinus, bone defects, and tooth defects which include fractures and late shedding of baby teeth. Job syndrome is also known as Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome because it produces high levels of the antibody immunoglobulin (IgE). Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is an immune system protein located in the blood. IgE triggers an immune response against foreign invaders in the body, particularly parasitic worms, and plays a role in allergies… [more]

I always knew that I didn’t like mice sneaking into the house although they seem to do it every year when snow comes, looking for warmth and food. However, I didn’t know that they could make your family sick and cause pregnant women to miscarry. Rats and mice can cause more than 35 diseases, worldwide. One virus that rodents may carry called LCMV (Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus) can cause severe birth defects such as hydrocephalus, psychomotor retardation, blindness, or miscarriage. Therefore, women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future should not have contact with rodents or have them for pets. Some of the diseases in the United States, which rodents can transmit are Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Rat-bite fever… [more]

Characterized by minimal or no immune response, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), typifies a group of rare, sometimes fatal, congenital disorders. An abnormality in the specialized white blood cells (B- and T-lymphocytes) that protect us from being infected by viruses, bacteria, and fungi is the defining characteristic of SCID, also known as "bubble boy" disease. SCID patients can contract the same illnesses repeatedly, like pneumonia, meningitis, and chicken pox because they don’t have a functional immune system. Many die before reaching a year old if the disease isn’t identified quickly. Although new treatments, such as bone marrow and stem cell transplants may save as many as 80% of SCID patients. Nearly 50 percent of SCID cases are connected to the X chromosome