Common health conditions that may occur at different ages

According to several experts, the key risk factors for different health conditions rotate around defects at birth, genetic problems, environmental hazards, risky behaviours, poor diet, and lack of adequate exercise. ate ase.

Other risk factors that could affect people at different age groups include stress, lifestyle changes and body degeneration. Yet still, there are several reasons why a person might have certain health conditions or diseases earlier or later than the age groups stated below.

Dr Andrew Sekitoleko, a family physician and the director for medical services at International Hospital Kampala (IHK), Dr Adil Bahauddin, a consultant specialist physician, and Dr Elizabeth Kutamba, a paediatrician, from Norvik Hospital Kampala, explain some of the health conditions that may affect people at different ages.

In Uganda, non-communicable diseases are fast emerging as a threat to public health. These include conditions such as cancers, hypertension and diabetes.

However, most of these conditions, also known as lifestyle diseases, can be easily prevented through lifestyle changes.

But as Dr Bahauddin says, most deaths for all age groups in Uganda and sub-Sahara countries are caused by malaria and HIV/Aids.

Today, we explore some of the common health conditions that a person may be at risk of, and the warning signs to lookout for.

Zero to 28 days

Babies in this age group are known as neonates. Common health conditions in this age group can be either congenital or acquired.

According to Dr Kutamba, the congenital conditions may include abnormality that the baby is born with, such as a heart defect.

Acquired conditions may include sepsis infections caused mostly by bacteria. Babies acquire such infections from their mothers during delivery or later. Neonates are also prone to pneumonia and malaria.

According to Dr Sekitoleko, the health conditions in this age group are largely associated with the process of delivery or conditions they might have suffered within the womb.

In some cases, their body mechanisms are not fully developed, resulting in difficulty in temperature control.
Dr Sekitoleko says in the first month of life, the lungs of neonates are not fully developed, and many suffer breathing complications.

“Difficulty in breathing also comes about because the only new thing a newborn learns to do when they are born is breath. Their heart has been beating and working well, but they have not been breathing on their own,” explains Dr Sekitoleko.

One month to one year

Common health conditions at this age include respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, meningitis, influenza and malnutrition.

Immunisable diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, measles, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough are also common health risks.

At this age, children are prone to environmental hazards. “They are new to the environment and although they are not interacting with it yet, they are exposed to risks and diseases they have never faced before. That is why we vaccinate them against the immunisable diseases,” explains Dr Sekitoleko.

He says for the first few months of life, a baby is dependent on the mother’s immune system. Nonetheless, there are instances when the baby cannot depend on its mother’s immune system especially when such a mother is stressed or suffers from a health condition.

In such a situation, the child is prone to several infections and diseases because their own immunity cannot fight off infections.

One to 5 years

In addition to battling infections, toddlers are prone to accidents such as burns, drowning, electrocution, animal bites, worm infestations and allergies.

“Toddlers between one and five years are also at risk of sexual abuse because they are up and about, so it is important for parents to constantly monitor their children and know where they are,” says Dr Sekitoleko.

At this age, children are also exploring their surrounding, which makes them active and curious. This, however exposes them to injuries and infections.
Other common health conditions for children under five include colds, cough and diaper rash.

As a precaution, mothers are advised to observe hygiene and address sanitation-related conditions such as diarrhoea.

Mothers are also advised to take their children for immunisation.

Six to 12 years

At this age, children are at risk of developing asthma, epilepsy, sickle cell, malnutrition and mental health problems.

It is at this stage that children start to develop a conscience and can tell right from wrong. They have feelings of anger, guilt and deepened sense of loss.
Children aged six to 12 years are more conscious and rarely get accidents.

This is when issues of growth are noticed and handled
At this age, childhood diseases or health conditions become more pronounced, and those who are prone to chronic ailments can also be identified from some symptoms they may present. “Before the age of six, the health conditions exist, but doctors may still be trying to diagnose them,” says Dr Sekitoleko.

Twelve to 25 years

Adolescents and young adults are prone to several health conditions, commonly called habit-related health risks. They can easily catch the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), if they engage in unprotected sex.

Mental and emotional health disorders are common in this age group because of the numerous psychological issues young people have to deal with.

“You rarely get cases of heart attack or cancers in adolescents and young adults, but you have road traffic accidents, suicide, violent deaths, drug abuse and infections,” says Dr Bahauddin.

He adds that the teenage-age stage is a difficult period to deal with. “This is the healthiest group and unless one has chronic infections from childhood, children in this age group flourish” explains Dr Sekitoleko.

He says this age group is rarely seen in hospital, and this could explain why medicines in the area of adolescent health have not extensively been developed.

“There is a gap in the medical system. When adolescents see a peadiatricain, they feel what they are told is information for kids and when they see an adult physician, they feel that is for adults.

However, there is an adolescent clinic that has opened at Mulago hospital,” explains Dr Kutamba.

Twenty five to 45 Years

After the age of 25, the consequences of adolescence or young adulthood habits begin to manifest.

For women in this age group, the health conditions may include fibroids, heavy bleeding, breast cysts, and infertility.

Dr Sekitoleko says: “Women in this age bracket do not tend to get high blood pressure and diabetes as much as men.”

Among the men, however, this is when lifestyle-related health conditions, including obesity, start to manifest.

General health conditions for both genders in this age group include diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, blood clot and frequent constipation.
Depression, anxiety, alcoholism and back pain are also common in this age group.

It is usually after age 25 that most women start to bear children, and the conditions they experience at this stage are related to reproductive health.

Stress and mental breakdown is also common in this age group.

Forty five to 60 years

“Most women in this age group are in the post-menopause stage. This is a challenging stage because there is no universal therapy to treat symptoms. What works for one woman might not work for another,” Dr Sekitoleko says.

Common symptoms of menopause include irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes, frequent sweating and memory problems. It is important to note that at this age, some people may develop lifestyle-associated conditions,” adds Dr Sekitoleko.

For men who are over the age of 45, the risk for developing chronic lifestyle conditions such as diabetes and obesity become higher than they were while in their 20s and 30s.

Besides obesity, both men and women in this group are prone to cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

Sixty years and above

Sixty is the international definition for old age for men, and 65 for women. It is important to note that people age at different times, and some of the health conditions might appear earlier or later than 60.

“Once degeneration sets in, it is difficult to stop it. It is easier to slow it at an earlier age when a person is in their 20s,” says Dr Sekitoleko.

To combat early degeneration, he advises people to exercise regularly and engage in healthy lifestyles.
Some of the health conditions present in this age include cancers, infections, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
“The rate at which a person degenerates will depend on their lifestyle during their young adult years,” Dr Bahauddin adds.

In this age group, a person’s immune system degenerates because like neonates and toddlers, they are prone to several infections. They are also at a high risk of various cancers as their body cells cannot properly cleanout waste.

Caretakers of people in this age group are advised to be patient with them and ensure they feed well, and have regular health examinations. They should be helped to engage in activities of daily living such as dressing, accessing the toilet, taking short walks, and engaging in entertainment activities to keep their body and mind active.

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