The Sky is Pink’s Aisha was born with SCID: All you need to know about the condition
SCID is a rare condition but can be detrimental to a child's health, like that of Aisha Chaudhary, who had to undergo bone marrow transplantation for it when she was six months old.
Source: Getty Images 
Source: Getty Images
Aisha Chaudhary, on whom The Sky is Pink starring Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar is based, had to undergo bone marrow transplantation as an infant. She was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
SCID is a rare condition but can be detrimental to the affected child’s health, like that of Aisha, who passed away at the age of 18 after having developed pulmonary psychosis due to bone marrow transplantation. We spoke to Dr Jesal Sheth, Senior Consultant Pediatrician, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, to know about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of SCID.
What is severe combined immunodeficiency?
This is a primary immunodeficiency, a genetic problem that the child is born with. Our body requires different immunity components to fight infections. In case of SCID, the baby does not have enough lymphocytes in the body (WBC count) which are essential for fighting severe infections. There are organisms which are part of our normal colonisation of the human body, in parts like the nails or the skin, but they do not cause any infection. That’s not so in the case of children with SCID.
What are the symptoms of SCID?
Children with SCID, who are susceptible to these atypical organisms causing severe infection, fall sick very rapidly and frequently during infancy.
Why is SCID difficult to diagnose?
The diagnosis of SCID is challenging. Not every medical centre is equipped to diagnose it, which involves micro investigation in case you suspect this disorder. The symptom of repeated illness can be mistaken to be a result of malnourishment. Or may be when the child starts going to school, he or she is likely to fall sick repeatedly, which is not abnormal, since the child is being exposed to the outside world. But one has to check if the infections are too severe and being caused by atypical organisms. That should sound an alarm. Once the child is diagnosed, the only treatment is bone marrow transplantation. Even then, the success rate is extremely low.
Can SCID affect siblings?
Since it is a genetic issue, even siblings are susceptible. So parents need to be counselled on the risks of continuing their pregnancy once SCID is diagnosed.
How often does SCID occur?
SCID can affect about one in 1000 to one in 10,000. That said, most of the time we don’t end up diagnosing it since doctors are not highly suspicious of this condition. Even if you suspect, the confirmation of the diagnosis requires special technologies.
Also Read| How Aisha Chaudhary’s mom seized every moment to keep her happy till the end
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