Mystery disease: PIMS medical board to examine ‘solar children’

Oldest two of three siblings from Balochistan with mystery disease brought to Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD:

A 19-member medical board has been set up to diagnose two children from Balochistan who have a mysterious ailment.

“The board is going to meet today (Wednesday) at 10pm for brainstorming and a review of the medical tests of the ‘solar children’ to reach consensus on the disease,” Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram, who is also the chairman of the medical board, told The Express Tribune.

“The two children, Shoaib, 14, and Rasheed, 9, were brought to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Monday at 11:00 am and were admitted in a paediatric ward,” PIMS Additional Director and spokesperson Dr Ayesha Isani said.

Earlier, the children were taken to Lahore from Balochistan and were checked at a PIMS satellite lab in Lahore.

The other members of the medical board include molecular biologist Prof Dr Riazuddin, neurosurgeon Dr Zaman, neuro-physician Dr Rao Suhail, Prof Dr Nasira, child specialist Dr Jay Krishan, Dr Mazhar, and Dr Ayesha Isani, along with members of a previous medical board that was constituted in Lahore. “Different tests including blood tests, CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were carried out on them at PIMS on Tuesday,” Dr Akram said.

A couple of weeks back, the case of three siblings — Illyas, 1, Shoaib, and Rasheed — from the Mian Ghundi area near Quetta was reported.

They reportedly wake up active in the morning but become weaker as the day progresses before becoming immobilised by sunset, with the cycle repeating every day.  Their father Hashim Khan is a small former and cannot afford treatment for them. This is the first reported case of its kind in Pakistan and doctors believe that the children may have a genetic disorder.

Since PIMS is researching genetic diseases, and with this being the first reported case in Pakistan, it was decided to move the children to PIMS in Islamabad on Monday. Family members accompanying the children have been provided room and board by PIMS.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2016.