According to the United Nations, a child in Africa dies every 30 seconds from malaria.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20 percent of the world's population is infected with Malaria. Most of those infected live in underdeveloped countries. Children who are infected with malaria suffer growth and development disabilities.
Causes
Malaria is a parasitic disease of the blood caused by the Plasmodium species of protozoa. The parasites enters the bloodstream through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. Once in the bloodstream, the parasites use red blood cells to grow and reproduce, thus destroying the cells.
Children
Children may acquire malaria through their mothers at birth or in the womb. They may also acquire malaria from mosquito bites. As the parasites destroy their red blood cells, children may experience anemia and chronic fever. If the parasites reach their brain, children may experience neurological symptoms.
Anemia
Anemia is a term used to describe a lower-than-normal amount of blood in the body. Since blood is necessary to transport oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, people with anemia experience fatigue and malnutrition. Children are unable to properly grow when nutrients and oxygen don't reach their developing organs.
Brain Effects
A child with malaria parasites in the brain will have behavioral and intellectual disabilities both during the infection and, if the child survives, after the infection as well. Children who survive brain malaria suffer from language and comprehension disabilities as well as balance and coordination deficiencies or a lifetime of seizure disorder.
Prevention and Treatment
According to the United Nations, several programs have been launched in countries heavily affected by malaria. These programs aim to prevent new infections through the use of nets to stop mosquito bites and to treat infections through the use of drugs.
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