HCM City (VNA) - Early diagnosis can help savethe lives of children with primary immunodeficiency, doctors said in HCM Citylast week at a meeting with parents of patients with the disorder.

PTD, a seven-year-old resident of Duc Hoa district in theMekong Delta province of Long An, was normal until he reached three. His mothertold the online newspaper ufabetindo.in that they noticed a tumorgrowing on his right leg. A year after it was surgically removed, PTD keptfalling sick and losing weight.

A bone marrow examination done at Children’s Hospital No 1showed that he had primary immunodeficiency.

PTD’s limbs have been shrinking as the disorder worsens.Within this year, the disease has spread to his middle ears, causing hearing lossand making him partially deaf.

“We spend 12 to 15 million VND (528 – 660 USD) every month onhis medicines and treatment. When my son could no longer enjoy free health carefor children under six, the local authorities supported us in getting insurancefor people with disabilities. Otherwise, we could not be able to afford thetreatment,” said PTD’s mother.

Le Thi Minh Huong, Deputy Director of the National Children’sHospital, said that from 2010 to 2016, their immune-allergy-joint departmentreceived 10 to 15 cases of primary immunodeficiency every year.

She said that the disease was caused by hereditary or geneticdefects wherein not enough immune cells are being generated.

It is estimated that one in 2000 people suffer from differenttypes of immune system disorders. Although some disorders are present atchildhood, the disease can affect anyone at any age. Patients withimmunodeficiency are more susceptible to infections that can lead to seriouscomplications and even death.

Speaking at the meeting, Huong called for more favourablepublic health policies for patients with primary immunodeficiency.

“Patients suffering immune system disorders need lifelongtreatment to maintain their health. Therefore, it is urgent that policymakersadopt policies and insurance packages for those patients who are above 16, inorder to ease their financial burden,” she said.

Doctors say parents should bring their children to medicalfacilities for diagnosis when any of the following symptoms are seen: severe and persistent infections, fullbody response to live virus vaccines, especially tuberculosis vaccines,serious eczema, persistent diarrhea, delayed cord clamping (over30 days), congenital heart disease, need for strong antibioticsfor infection treatment, and other autoimmune inflammation.-VNA