What is Albinism? Albinism is a fairly rare occurrence, so if you ever have a patient that has this condition, it would be convenient to be familiar with it. Albinism is an inherited genetic condition. It drastically reduces the amount of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes. It can occur in all ethnic groups and in all nationalities. In America 1 in 20,000 people has a form of albinism. Other parts of the world often have a ratio of 1 in 3000. In most cases the children born with albinism are born to parents that have normal hair and eye color. Unlike what some people assume, those that have this condition do not have red or pink eyes. In certain lighting conditions the eyes can have a red or purple tint, as the blood vessels in the back of the eyes can be seen. Most people with albinism have light blue eyes, although it’s possible to have brown or green. Related: 5 Questions to ask your Interviewer Vision People with albinism do have vision problems, and most are not correctable. They generally do wear eyeglasses to deflect the sun, their eyes are extremely sensitive to light. In patients with albinism the development of the retina and nerve connections in the brain are not properly developed, leading to vision difficulties. This is often how the condition itself is diagnosed. Most people with this condition will never operate a motor vehicle; only about 10% will have vision sufficient to drive a car. Dermatology People with this condition have very fair complexions. It is imperative that they avoid sun exposure, as it can cause immediate damage. It is estimated that 5 minutes of sun exposure can cause sunburn on the very pale skin, so sunscreen and clothing are used as a barrier. There are different forms of albinism, and with some forms it may not be as apparent in the patient. A person can have a form of this condition, and have perfect vision, and only a few signs that the condition exists. You may notice a person with extremely light colored skin that simply will not hold pigment. They could spend time in the sun, and they would burn, however it would never turn to tan. Their hair may be very blonde, almost white in young children. There is a good indication this indicates a gene within them, and yet they are not technically diagnosed with the condition.
Social Acceptance Kids can be pretty cruel when someone is different from them. It can be very noticeable when a child has albinism, so their classmates might address it often. It’s a given that children will look for anything, such as glasses or freckles, and use it as a means of bullying. There are a number of support groups for children that have this condition, and it is a good idea to recommend they seek support. There are few limitations, mainly avoiding the sun. Eyesight can prevent any closeup detailed work. In fact, about 90% are actually declared legally blind. It seems to be beneficial to address the child’s classroom and peers from the beginning. You may open it up for questions so that everything is out in the open. The hope is that once understood, they may be more accepting and less inclined to pick on someone because they are different. Related: Exceptional Licensed Practical Nurse, Henrietta Okwuchi Nwamadi, LPN, will be Noted in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter