A baby born with a rare genetic disease at a Howrah Nursing Home near Nabanna CM office of West Bengal.
Harlequin Ichthyosis, a rare genetic skin disorder.
Harlequin Ichthyosis literally means one born with dry, scaly ‘fish’ like skin. It affects one in 300,000 births by inheriting a mutated gene from the parents.
Infants with this condition have very hard, thick skin covering most of their bodies. This is broken into large, diamond-shaped plates separated by deep cracks (fissures). Harlequin-type ichthyosis is a genetic disorder that results in thickened skin over nearly the entire body at birth. The skin forms large, diamond-shaped plates that are separated by deep cracks. These affect the shape of the eyelids, nose, mouth, and ears and limit movement of the arms and legs.
It is said that this kind of disorder can be seen once in a million case. Dr, Nuza B Kamal done the procedure for birth on 14th July 2020 at Lords Nursing Home at Howrah,West Bengal. Parent of that new born already had four baby. Worldwide only 200 incident reported till date.
How is Harlequin ichthyosis treated common condition?
- applying retinoids to help shed hard, scaly skin.
- applying topical antibiotics to prevent infection.
- covering the skin in bandages to prevent infection.
- placing a tube in the airway to help with breathing.
- using lubricating eye drops or protective devices on the eyes.
There is no cure for the disorder but it can be managed with treatment. In the past the disease was considered fatal.