More than 3,000 children in northern Uganda are suffering from a debilitating mystery ailment known as nodding disease, which has touched almost every family in the village of Tumangu. The disease affects only children and gradually devastates its victims through debilitating seizures, stunted growth, wasted limbs, mental disabilities and sometimes starvation.
Children suffering from the Nodding Syndrome gather in Akoya-Lamin Omony village in Gulu district, 384 km (238 miles) north of Uganda's capital of Kampala, February 19, 2012. Nodding Syndrome, which mostly affects children between the ages of 5 and 15, was first documented in Tanzania as early as 1962.
Nancy Lamwaka, 12, who suffers from nodding syndrome, is being tied with a rope as she sits out in the open in Lapul, Pader district, 300 km (186 miles) north of Uganda's capital of Kampala February 8, 2012. Despite extensive investigations, researchers are still largely confounded by it. Most of the fatalities attributed to the disease are the result of secondary causes. Children suffering from Nodding Syndrome are prone to accidents such as drowning and burning.
Michael Odongkara walks out of a house with his daughter Nancy Lamwaka. Nodding Syndrome is a fatal, mentally and physically disabling disease.
Nodding Syndrome gets its name from the uncontrollable nodding it causes among those afflicted by it.
Children suffering from the disease suffer from stunted growth and non-development of the brain that causes retardation.
The nodding seizures are not continuous and tend to stop once the child is fed or is warm, but their severity tends to vary from child to child. Severe seizures can cause the child to collapse, leading to further injury.
Speculation has it that the disease could be in some way connected a parasitic worm that causes river blindness.
Scientists are also probing to find if there is a possible link between the disease and exposure to wartime chemicals.
Source:
- Nodding Syndrome gets its name from the uncontrollable nodding it causes among those afflicted by i
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