what is osteomyelitis? My Friend's baby who is a year old has been diagonsed with osteomyelitis. Is it dangerous? Can it be cured?

Hi diara,

Osteomyelitis can be cured. Here are some details :
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection often caused by a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus. Depending on how the bone becomes infected and the age of the person, other types of bacteria can cause it, too. In kids and teens, osteomyelitis usually affects the long bones of the arms and legs.

Treatment of osteomyelitis depends on the severity of the infection and whether it is recent or chronic (has been present for a longer period of time). The doctor may use a needle to remove a bacteria sample from the bone to help identify the bacteria responsible for the infection. This is called needle aspiration. The doctor will then be able to choose the correct antibiotic to treat that particular infection.

In some cases, osteomyelitis will become severe and a cavity or hole will develop in the bone. Pus - a large collection of bacteria and white blood cells - may have formed in this cavity. If this happens, the doctor may perform a surgical procedure to help drain the pus out of the bone so that the bone can heal properly.

Osteomyelitis can be difficult to treat. After being diagnosed with osteomyelitis, you may be admitted to the hospital for a short stay so that intravenous (IV) antibiotics can be given (directly into a vein) to fight the infection. Once the condition improves, you will be allowed to go home but you may continue to need IV or oral (taken by mouth) antibiotics at home for several more weeks.
Information from : http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/osteomyelitis.html

Hope the above information answers your questions.

Thanks very much for the information. Just need a clarification from you,will it effect the growth of the baby in terms of normal milestones.

Hi diva,

It could affect bone growth if the growth plate is the location of the problem and might lead to stunted growth and otherwise unless it becomes chronic, normal milestones should not be affected.

Hello Diva,
Hope the Osteomyelitis treatment for you friends child is getting on. Also please inform your friend about the long term effects of the disease so that she can take adequate precautions.
It requires long-term care to prevent further complications, including care to prevent the following:
-Fractures of the affected bone.
-Stunted growth in children (if the infection has involved the growth plate).
-Gangrene infection in the affected area.

bye

Hi saseen,
I appreciate your concern for my friend's baby. She is taking all the necessary precautions and her baby is getting good medical care too. Thanks very much.

Good to hear about it.My best wishes to your friend.

Bye Diva

Hi,
I came across this wonderful site that details many osteomyelistis treatment cases in India. May be you would find it a lot useful like I did http://www.osteomyelitiscure.com/case-studies3.htm

Are there any alternative treatments for this disease in Asia which can
heal the disease with little or no side effects in later part of life?