166 chapter 21
Treatment
• Use 2 to 3 TB medicines for at least a year, as for TB of the lungs. (See Where
There Is No Doctor, p. 180.)
• A back brace may help keep the damaged spine straighter. it can be made of
plaster, or of plastic using techniques similar to those used for making plastic leg
braces (see p. 558).
Or make a very simple back brace from a metal tin or drum:
1. Cut an oval piece
from a heavy tin.
3. Pad the tin and wrap it
with a soft cloth.
2. Hammer the tin to
fit the child’s back.
Without forcing,
try to put the back
in the straightest
position possible.
4. With an elastic
bandage, bind the
plate firmly to the
child’s back.
CAUTION: Make sure the bandage does not hurt the child,
damage his skin, or make it difficult for him to breathe.
The child in the photo on the previous page was effectively braced by a traditional
bonesetter in this way.
• In severe or advanced cases, surgery may be needed to help straighten and
stabilize the bones of the spine.
CAUTION: Because of the risk of paralysis, an
orthopedic surgeon should be consulted if possible.
Hopes for the future
With early, complete treatment the damaged bones will usually heal and the child
may live normally, although often somewhat hunched over.
If nerve damage and paralysis have begun, sometimes surgery (or even bracing during
treatment) can bring some improvement.
When nerve damage is severe, rehabilitation will be the same as for spinal cord injury
(see Chapters 23, 24, and 25).
PREVENTION consists of early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, and in the
fight against poverty. Vaccination against TB may also help.
Disabled village Children