Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Some people should be sterilized

Today, 
I saw the most heart breaking case i have seen since i started peds. 
11 month old with kwashiokor and sepsis. 
Kwashiokor in America? 
In a child born in America to American parents? 
I was shocked, but that's the good part
This kid looks like he suffered 3rd degree burns, but he didn't. 
He had a skin rash that his genius parents decided to treat with baking soda. 
Baking freaking soda? 
Baby ended up with bicarbonate intoxication, plus a host of other things and became septic. 
Huge open wounds all over his legs, belly, hand, top of one of his fingers is necrosed and they are waiting for it to fall off. 

Unfortunately, we rounded on him when they were changing his dressing. 
Now i totally get it when mothers say they know what different cries mean. 
I have never in my entire life heard a baby cry like that. 
He was in pain!!!
The cries went straight to my heart. 
The attending closed her eyes for a while and started asking what the baby had for pain. 
Then after rounds she insisted he needed something else for pain management during dressing changes. 
It took everything in me not to start crying. 
Everything single ounce of will power. 
Still i couldn't help it, 
my eyes filled with tears and if it wouldn't have looked totally awkward and unprofessional, i would have left that room. 
In fact, i turned to leave but i had to pull myself together. 
It was a horrible, horrible, horrible sight. 

Baby was so malnourished, he had cortical atrophy. 
His mom said she was feeding him mashed potatoes and veggies AND she was diluting her breast milk? 
What?! 
Baby hadn't gained a single pound since May. 
He was edematous when he came in which means, he most likely weighed less.
His parents are not allowed to see him
Some people really need to be sterilized. 
Just because you have the equipment doesn't mean you should use it.
We were told her other kids were taken also.
Our attending pretty much said she would do anything to ensure the mother never sees that child again. 
I AGREE! 

12 comments:

  1. Hmmm...I was watching a dateline the other day and thought this exact thing. Na wa!

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  2. WOW, Sending positive vibes to that little boy and praying for him to recover swiftly and grow up to become an amazing, healthy human being. Some parents make me sick to my stomach I do not understand how you as parents you do not do everything in your power to ensure the very best for your kids, safety wise, health wise etc. There are probably underlying socio-economic problems too but that is not an excuse either. I completely agree with you that not everyone should have kids. We all need to wake up and have visible, honest conversations about sex, protection, contraceptive methods and even abortion! Praying for that little baby.

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  3. Pray for the baby's recovery and God to grant the mother sense.

    Read my post on common sense@www.warrigirl.com

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  4. *makes sign of the cross* 6months old??? When the mother has free breastmilk?? and she is even diluting it???

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  5. Shame on those parents, thank goodness the child is receiving much needed treatment. What a world we live in.

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  6. I never understand how you can suffer the pains of giving birth to a child and then having that child suffer. Like really? too many reasons why i never considered medicine. i cant even stand being in the hospital let alone. i feel so sad just reading this.

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  7. My heart hit the bottom of my stomach while reading this.
    A laughter and crying are a universal language.
    Its so sad!

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  8. poor poor baby. In Igbo we say 'onye ara na uche ya'. The madman and his thoughts. what was the mom thinking? are they poor/vegetarians or drug addicts? I'm trying to understand the milk dilution and feeding with potatoes.
    Thank God for laws that protect children!

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  9. diluting the breast milk with what oh? what kind of mother is this, is she on drugs abi how do you describe this.

    Praying for the boy oh.

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  10. I had to read your blog over thrice to take it all in cos the first two times my brain just refused to assimilate what I was reading. But what a testimony it would be for this child to grow up, beating these huge odds, to become somebody. God can do it. I entrust this baby to him. Madam Sting? Your life is not beans o!

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  11. Just goes on to say, common sense is still scarce. Doesn't matter what country you live in. Hope the babe gets well soon.

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