Question

A child suffering from thalassemia is born to a normal couple. But the mother is being blamed by the family for delivering a sick baby.
(A) What is thalassemia?
(B) How would you counsel the family not to blame the mother for delivering a child suffering from this disease? Explain.
(C) List the values your counseling can propagate in the families.

Answer 1

Hint: The child is said to be born with thalassemia, a genetic disorder. The child would have received the genes with a defect either from the mother or the father or some mutation might have happened in the embryonic stage. So the mother should not be blamed and the family needs counseling.

Complete answer:
(A) Thalassemia: It is a genetic disorder inherited through autosomal recessive genes. This disorder decreases the hemoglobin production in the affected individual. It happens due to genetic abnormalities in chromosome 11 or 16. Certain genes in these chromosomes are responsible for the synthesis of $\alpha $ globin chains (chromosome 16) and $\beta $ globin chains (chromosome 11) of the hemoglobin molecule. Any defect in these genes results in defective chains producing abnormal hemoglobin causing anemia. The symptoms may be mild to severe. Some of the symptoms are:
> Increased iron in the blood
> Enlarged spleen (Sometimes the spleen is removed which increases the risk of infections)
> Bone deformities
> Slower growth
> Heart problems
> Fatigue, pale/yellowish skin
(B) A baby born with a genetic disorder causes emotional stress to the family as they are concerned about the baby’s health. Through genetic counseling, the family can be educated about the causes, symptoms, and treatments available to deal with the disorder. The family should be made to understand the causes and how genes work. This way they will realize that mother or the father is not to be blamed for the child’s disorder. Instead, they should be supportive of each other as well as the baby.
(C) The values that can be propagated in the family through counseling are:
> Understanding the disorder completely.
> Being supportive of each other mentally, physically, and emotionally.
> Encouraging the child to continue treatment by the family to lead a normal life.
> Meeting people with similar disorders through support groups.
> Neither of the parents is responsible for the child’s defect.

Note:
An awareness made among the people about thalassemia can aid in its prevention. It can be prevented by taking genetic tests for both men and women before conceiving. If they carry the thalassemia trait, they can undergo genetic counseling for assistance in deciding. It is important for counseling to provide vital information that is unbiased and non-directive.