Last Updated on March 22, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that is a significant health issue in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) website and the Global Tuberculosis Report (2021) inform that India is a significant contributor to the total cases globally. The Central Tuberculosis Division under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) runs the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme to reduce the cases of tuberculosis. This program provides free-of-cost, quality diagnosis, and treatment through the government health system. Tuberculosis is serious health condition. Therefore, this article will discuss whether a person could lead a normal life if they had tuberculosis during childhood.
Can children with tuberculosis have a normal life?
Possible in a certain scenario. If you had tuberculosis during childhood, you could have a normal life if they deal with their symptoms properly and on time. Timely diagnosis of tuberculosis among children is a major issue. This is because confirming the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children with a laboratory test can be challenging. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website further explains that it is difficult to collect samples from infants and children. In addition to this, laboratory tests might not show a positive result because a smaller number of microbes affect children. A small number of microbes might not show up on the laboratory tests.
For these reasons, the diagnosis of tuberculosis is often based on signs and symptoms, a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) or tuberculosis blood test (IGRA), a chest x-ray, and a history of frequent contact with the infected person.
Can children with tuberculosis live a full life?
Possible. Children with tuberculosis can live a full life if their condition is well-maintained and the symptoms are properly controlled. However, quick treatment is possible in the case of active tuberculosis. Also, signs and symptoms are not visible in the case of latent tuberculosis. This makes tuberculosis a difficult health condition to treat in children.
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