| A baby of about four weeks who was | | | | required to find out if he has been |
| crying incessantly was found to have a | | | | afflicted with this debilitating |
| broken leg after an x-ray was done. His | | | | illness. Observation of the child is |
| parents were accused of child abuse | | | | also crucial since most cases of brittle |
| because the broken leg was through a | | | | bone disease manifest babies fracturing |
| non-accident incident. Simply put, his | | | | their bones frequently for no apparent |
| parents were suspected of shaking the | | | | reason. |
| baby so hard that his leg bone got | | | | A baby with this disease can easily |
| broken in two. | | | | fracture his bone by merely reaching out |
| Further tests concluded that the baby | | | | to his parent to be carried or sneezing. |
| was hurt because of physical abuse. | | | | WHAT YOU SHOULD CHECK |
| About two weeks later, his father | | | | 1. If your baby has broken a bone which |
| coughed while carrying the baby. The | | | | you find odd considering he's been |
| baby stretched out his arm in surprise | | | | handled with care since birth, don't |
| and his father heard it crack. X-rays | | | | wait for another broken bone to occur. |
| once again confirmed that the baby broke | | | | Have him checked for this disease right |
| his arm this time. | | | | away. It is better to be safe than |
| To cut it short, the parents were | | | | sorry. |
| fortunately proven innocent after a | | | | 2. Check if the whites of his eyes are |
| couple more tests were done. | | | | more bluish or grayish than white. |
| Unfortunately though, the baby was | | | | 3. He bruises easily. |
| diagnosed with brittle bone syndrome or | | | | 4. His teeth are discolored. |
| Osteogenesis Imperfecta. | | | | Even if you notice that his bone |
| WHAT IS OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA? | | | | fracture hasn't occurred in several |
| Osteogenesis Imperfecta or brittle bone | | | | months and you don't see a pattern such |
| syndrome is a genetic disease that | | | | as him not breaking his bone twice over |
| results in the abnormalities of protein | | | | the same incident, this is all the more |
| in the bones causing them to become | | | | why you should have him checked for |
| easily breakable. In some cases, this | | | | Osteogenesis Imperfecta because |
| disease causes the child to be stillborn | | | | fractures when you have this disease do |
| or to die soon after birth. A parent | | | | not usually occur in a pattern. |
| with this disease has a 50% chance of | | | | So before you go blaming yourself or any |
| passing it on to his child. | | | | other person for hurting your child, it |
| The levels of the effect of this disease | | | | is best to have him checked for every |
| to the baby differ in such a way that | | | | possible reason why he got hurt in the |
| although genetically, the baby has the | | | | first place. In some cases, babies are |
| disease, his bones don't break as easily | | | | fortunate enough to have this kind of |
| as the other babies with the same | | | | disease temporarily. This temporary |
| disease. | | | | brittle bone syndrome usually comes in |
| X-rays and tests don't usually detect | | | | the first year of the child and |
| this disease at first glance. A more | | | | disappears soon after. |
| thorough examination of the baby is | | | | |