Congenital Syphilis: Congenital syphilis is a condition that occurs when a baby is born to a mother infected with syphilis, a common venereal disease. The infection is passed through the placenta to the unborn child. Congenital syphilis can be severe, disabling and often life threatening for the infant. Almost half of all children infected with syphilis while in the womb die at birth. Syphilis is easily treated and curable, however, when diagnosed early. Newborns may exhibit irritability, failure to gain weight or failure to thrive, rash or blisters on the face, palms and soles of feet, absence of a nose bridge, enlarged liver, or severe pneumonia. Older children may have bone pain, bowed legs, joint swelling, vision loss, decreased hearing or abnormal teeth.
Treatment: Proper doses of medicine (penicillin) will cure syphilis.
Love Without Boundaries[1]
Links for this Special Need:
http://www.adoptspecialneeds.org/special-needs/infectious-diseases/
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/infections_in_neonates/congenital_syphilis.html
http://www.nohandsbutours.com/types/infectious-disease/
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_syphilis
http://www.orphandoctor.com/medical/commondiseases/infectiousdiseases/syphilis.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/969023-overview
http://www.lwbcommunity.org/wisdom-wednesday-what-is-congenital-syphilis
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/2/286.full
Stories or Blogs from Families who have Parented a Child with Congenital Syphilis:
http://www.journeytolaurenmei.blogspot.com/
[1] Love Without Boundaries – http://www.adoptspecialneeds.org/
