Doctor Verified

Entrusting the care of your baby to a nanny is an important decision for parents and involves risks for the baby’s health. However, with proper testing, we can ensure the health of the child is not compromised.

is a serious disease that can be cured as long as it is diagnosed in time. It is caused by a bacterium or germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In most patients, TB affects the lungs but may also affect other parts of our body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. In severe cases, it may damage multiple organs simultaneously. For instance, TB can affect both the lungs and lymph nodes at the same time. Globally, an estimated 200 crore people are infected with TB. For children, though, the disease becomes trickier as compared to adults. Once infected with TB germs, children—especially those younger than 5 years of age—are more likely to develop active TB and fall severely ill.
Infants and young children are also more prone to developing severe forms of TB disease, such as TB meningitis, which affects the brain, or military TB disease, affecting multiple parts of the body.

Top Stories

, says she recently came across two families whose nannies were complaining of a cough and excessive phlegm for a few months, and later both of the nannies tested positive for pulmonary TB and the X-ray showed they were severely infected. “Even though the children had not been infected with active TB, I had to put them on medication for six months to prevent future infections,” she adds. goes on to explain that active TB is contagious and may be transmitted from the nanny because of prolonged contact with the child, putting the child’s health at serious risk. “There are two simple and easily available medical tests you can do to protect your child from exposure to TB from the caretaker,” says. The two tests you need to do are an X-ray of the chest and sputum for AFB, which would provide you with a clear picture as to whether the caretaker has an active TB infection or not.

Although this does not mean the nannies will not be infected later on, the tests would at least give you the assurance that it is safe to hire them at the moment, .

According to WHO, the common symptoms of TB are:

• Weight loss
• Fever
• Night sweats

Although, for working parents especially, hiring a nanny or a caretaker often is a compulsion rather than a choice, it is important to take certain precautionary measures to ensure your child’s safety and health.