Q: My daughter is 4.5 years old and is diagnosed to be microcephalic. The karyotype result says insertion & deletion of a gene. She can't sit on her own and sits with support. She can stand if we hold her knees. She does some babbling. She gets seizures at times mainly due to lack of sleep. She has squint in her eyes (bilateral squint). She has decayed teeth. When we showed her to a paedodontist, they said anaesthesia would be given and root canal treatment should be done. Can she be operated now for squint correction? Can a root canal treatment be done for milk teeth? Does it further harm the growth of teeth? How can she become independent? Will hyperbaric oxygen therapy help to improve her motor skills? What kind of exercises will help in strengthening trunk muscles?

A:Your daughter requires a multi-disciplinary treatment, involving a pediatrician, ophthalmologist, dental surgeon, physiotherapist & occupational therapist. She would also require a continued & ongoing management as she grows older and her requirements evolve. It is therefore best that she is managed at a big Medical centre where all the above facilities exist. A pediatrician can then coordinate all her requirements, guide you and answer your doubts.