If you want to understand what Congenital Rubella Syndrome is, it’s helpful to start at the beginning and break down the meaning of the words themselves. Congenital, is an adjective. A word that describes a disease or physical abnormality which is present at birth. Rubella, is a Toga Virus. A viral infection which is transmitted through airborne droplets when an infected individual coughs or sneezes. This virus is also known as German Measles. The word Syndrome, comes from a Greek word and is used to describe a collection of medical signs and symptoms which are correlated.
Rubella Infection is typically mild and therefore it’s difficult to notice symptoms. However, it spreads quickly and easily. Therefore it is dangerous. Especially to those who are pregnant. This is why vaccination is so important. If you suspect you are infected with Rubella virus, go to your doctor. It’s especially important that pregnant women enter a care plan to monitor the health of the unborn infant throughout the pregnancy.
Symptoms of Rubella virus are:
- Pink or red rash that begins on the face and spreads downwards.
- Mild fever. Usually under 38.9c.
- Swollen and tender lymph nodes.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Headache.
- Muscle pain.
- Inflamed or red eyes.
In rare cases, Rubella infection can lead to ear infections or brain swelling. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience the following:
- Prolonged headache.
- Earache.
- Stiff neck.
When Rubella virus is contracted during pregnancy, it is passed to the unborn foetus. Therefore the baby is likely to be born with a number of defects. The most common are: eye defects, hearing loss and damage to the heart. This is known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome or CRS. The most severe cases of CRS occur when Rubella is contracted in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Between 12 and 20 weeks, symptoms are milder. After 20 weeks, the foetus is unlikely to be affected. Due to the damage Rubella can cause, the risk of morbidity and mortality is high.
After birth, a CRS warrior is contagious for up to a year.
Although a typical CRS warrior is born with a common triad of symptoms, they can be born with more alongside that. The list of symptoms includes, but is not limited to:
- Sensorineural deafness: Damage caused to the inner ear, cochlea, or cranial nerve.
- Eye defects: Especially Retinopathy (Damage to the retina), Cataract and Microphthalmos (Small Eyes).
- Heart Disease: Especially Pulmonary Artery Stenosis and Patent Ductus Arteriosus.
- Spleen, Liver and Bone Marrow problems. Some of which may disappear shortly after birth.
- Intellectual disability.
- Small head size (Microcephaly).
- Thrombocytopenic Purpura (Reduction in circulating blood platelets).
- Low birth weight.
- Micrognathism (Undersized jaw).
- Neurological deficits.
- Bone radiolucencies.
- Growth restrictions.
- Excessive sleepiness.
- Irritability.
- Seizures.
During the life of a CRS warrior, some years or even some decades after birth, already existing symptoms can become worse. New symptoms can also appear. If both worsening and new symptoms appear to be related to CRS, it is known as Late Onset CRS. This is due to a persistent Rubella infection in tissues, latent Rubella virus in cells and / or the reactivation of the Rubella virus.
Symptoms of Late Onset CRS include, but are not limited to:
- Progressive hearing loss.
- Balance disorders.
- Progressive vision loss.
- Diabetes Mellitus type 1 and type 2.
- Thyroid disorders.
- Growth hormone deficiencies.
- Growth deficiencies.
- Weight gain.
- Progressive neurological problems.
- Epilepsy.
- Lethargy (Tiredness).
- Memory Loss.
- Inadequate response to pain.
- Behavioural problems (Such as aggression)
- Sleep disorders.
- Autism or autistic-like behaviours.
- Mobility problems.
- Scoliosis.
- Osteoporosis.
- Difficulty chewing and swallowing.
No two cases of CRS are the same. While warriors often find comfort and recognition in each other’s symptoms, everybody will experience something different. They may not have exactly the same hearing or vision loss. They may also experience symptoms that other warriors will never encounter.
To ensure good health and welfare, it is recommended that all CRS warriors take part in a care plan. This will help eliminate and avoid further health risks.
- A neurological assessment. This is to check the neurological status of the patient and indicate if there are any neurological problems. This only needs to be done once. If problems are discovered, it can be repeated.
- An ECG. If problems are discovered, this should be repeated every 3 years.
- Thyroid function test. This can be repeated if there are Thyroid problems.
- EEG. This can be repeated if neurological problems are present.
The following checkups should be performed yearly:
- General health assessment. Weight, blood pressure and heart auscultation.
- Blood tests. (Before food). Glucose, liver and kidney function.
Every 3 years:
- A hearing test.
- A vision test.
With the correct care and guidance, many CRS warriors can live a good and fulfilled life. They can enjoy many great experiences and achieve many goals.
About the Author of this article:
My name is Codee I was born in 1983 and have CRS myself. I am not a doctor and I do not claim that this information is 100% accurate. If you think you or your child has CRS, please seek medical advice from a professional. Most of the information in this article is written based on my personal experiences with CRS. Medical information that I wasn’t familiar with, I looked up on Google. The sources of information used in this article are therefore listed below. I wrote this article using my own words as I wanted to create something that’s easy for those who are new to CRS, to understand. I hope this information is useful. If you have questions or would just like contact with someone who has CRS, please feel free to ask.
Sources:
Wikipedia
Healthline
Literature Study of the consequences of CRS by Dr. Josje Kingma-Thijssen (2004)
CRS Life 