It got me down when I was first diagnosed. I had to use a straw and plenty of eye drops. I slowly started getting out more though and after five weeks things had really improved” _ Andy Kirk.
Taking care of a child with Bell’s Palsy is not easy especially when you are a single mother and live in a township. People look at your child and pretend to be sympathetic while they mock you on the streets. Motlatsi Moseme (19) is a single mother who lives in a township of Rietvlei in Krugersdorp Gauteng and she has a two-year-old child that was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy one year ago. Being uneducated about the condition did not help matters, when Motlatsi was told about the condition that her baby has she was clueless.
“I woke up one morning and there was something wrong with my child’s eyes. Her eyes would not stop twitching.” Motlatsi took her daughter to the community clinic where she was then transferred to the hospital for further tests. “When the test results came back the doctor told me that my child was suffering from Bell’s Palsy and I had no idea what he was talking about.”
The doctor had to explain to her what the conditions and how it was going to affect her and her baby daughter. There are different types of Bell’s Palsy and the one that Motlatsi’s daughter was diagnosed with is eye twitching which is a little bit easier to manage as compared to the others. “I had to educate myself on the condition as well as the precautions and things to do and not do in order to help my baby.”
What are the symptoms of the Bell’s Palsy condition?
Bell’s palsy is an acute condition of the seventh cranial that mainly affects children from the age of one till adulthood. Being an idiopathic condition means that the cause of bell’s palsy is not yet know. In 1844 Sir Charles Bell in his book titled Nervous System of the human body referred to a lot of different facial paralysis.
In the nineteenth century was when the term Bell’s Palsy became customary for all facial paralysis.
- It is important to note that not every patient will experience the same symptoms
- In many cases people with Bell’s Palsy have the inability to raise their eyebrows
- A dropping face is a common feature, this usually only affects one side of the face
- Difficulty in blinking
- Weakness in the muscles in the face cause difficulty in eating
- Sharp pains in the ears
- Sensitivity to loud noise
- Pronunciation difficulty
A representation of a person with the condition of Bell’s Palsy
How can it be treated?
After finding out about her daughter’s condition Motlatsi had no clue as to how to treat her child. She started using eye droplets to keep the moisture in her eyes.
A steroid known as Prednisolone is usually what is prescribed for the treatment of Bell’s Palsy with it there have been a reduction in attacks. The steroid prescription needs to be taken with 72 hours of when the symptoms start. It is of utmost importance to get enough rest and drink plenty of water. It is also important to exercise in order to see some changes, do not force your face to move if you are only starting out. Relaxing your face is crucial.
Is it infectious can it be affected by diet?
- Bell’s Palsy is not infectious nor is it contagious
- No studies have shown any evidence of dieting playing a role in the condition
Can it be linked to pregnancy?
Yes and no but in 1830 according to Sir Charles Bell had described the association the condition and pregnancy. In some previous cases there have been associations on the onset of Bell’s Palsy in pregnancies and the risk of pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. Pre-eclampsia is a complication that usually occurs in pregnant women. Studies have shown that pregnant women are more at risk of developing Bell’s Palsy more especially those in the third trimester.
Tips on how to protect yourself or your child with Bell’s Palsy
- On windy and wet days, it is best to wear sunglasses
- Carry your eye drops wherever you go
- Cut food into smaller pieces to avoid food falling out of your mouth
- Keep the face warm by wearing a scarf
- Get enough rest it is very important
Conclusion
According to JF Jarvis there are two hundred and fifty cases of Bell’s Palsy in South Africa. The findings indicate that this condition mainly affects women in South Africa than men.
Magazine
My target magazine is Drum magazine. Drum magazine is trending from 6.5% to 6% and it has about 1.777 million readers, which is good for my article. My target audience is mainly mothers who do not know what Bell’s Palsy is. It is important for parents to learn and to be informed about such conditions and for them to know the measures to take in case their child or their loved one is diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy. Drum magazine is a very diverse and versatile platform or magazine to have my article published as it is an informative piece and the magazine sells quite a number of copies meaning a lot of people will get to learn about what Bell’s Palsy, what are the symptoms, how to manage it as well as the tips on to protect themselves if they have the condition.
FOG INDEX CALCULATION
In family photographs they look like three ordinary kids a gap-toothed boy who loved playing with his toy dinosaurs and his two older sisters who doted on him. But there might be secrets hiding behind their seemingly carefree smiles. Because it turns out that life in their home in Brakpan, Gauteng, was far from happy. Pictures show fire-damaged rooms in disarray, with clothes and toys strewn all over the floor. Most disturbing of all are two bloodstained mattresses pushed together on the living room floor this was where two of the siblings, were recently found shot dead along with their mother, Sandra Schwartz (39). There’s blood spatter nearby, next to a black leather couch where their sister, Lee-Ann (16), was also shot.
Average sentence length = 122words/ 6sentences =20.33
Average sentence length = 122words/ 6complex words =4.91
20.33(Ave sentence) +4.91(% of complex words) = 25.24 *0.4= 10.09
Fog Index = 10
Also read more on:
Bibliography
- Bell, C., 1830. The Nervous System of the Human Body. London: Longman, Rees,Orme, Brown.
- Facial Palsy UK, 2019. What is Bell’s Palsy. In: Bell’s Palsy. Wales: Facial Palsy, pp. 5-16.
- Jacques, M., 2019. Bloodbath in Brakpan. In: H. v. Dyk, ed. YOU. Johannesburg: Lyners Edwina, p. 8.
- Jarvis, J., 2017. A Review of 250 cases of Bell’s Palsy. South African Medical Journal, Volume 47, p. 3.
- Moseme, M., 2020. Bell’s Palsy [Interview] (08 May 2020).
- Rowhani-Rahbar A, K. N. L. N. B. R., 2012. Immunization and Bell’s Palsy in Children: A case centered analysis. Oxford Academic, 175(9), pp. 878-885.
- Shmourgn, D., 2002. Association between Bell’s Palsy in pregnacy and pre-eclampsia. QJM an International journal of medicine, 95(6), pp. 359-362.
- Taverber, D., 1955. Bell’s Palsy: A Clinical and Eloctromygraphic Study. Brain A journal of Neurology, 78(2), pp. 209-210.
Lilac 