Bangalore: The day baby Mariam was brought to Malathi Manipal Hospital, her parents were told that the outcome in all likelihood seems poor. They are being counseled on a daily basis on the baby’s condition.
Doctors feel that her condition is critical and may not survive. Even if she does survive, there is a high likelihood of her surviving with neurological sequelae (disorder of the body’s nervous system) for rest of life.
Dr Shivakumar Shamarao, who is treating Mariam, said, “From the time we stopped her anesthetic medications; to reduce the pressure effects inside the brain, she has been gradually showing some brain related activities. We have noticed that she is reacting to pain by moving her hands and legs, she started having respiratory efforts which are not shallow, she withdraws to touch and pain. However, she has not opened eyes. We have recently done another CT brain on December 26.”
Doctors treating Mariam are yet to find the cause of her infection and investigations to identify the causative organism have not been successful.
The three-year-old girl has been febrile for 3-4 days and is on antibiotics. “We hope she responds to these medications and the infection comes under control,” Dr Shivakumar said.
As for supportive measures, the doctor said, “She is being fed by NG tube and is tolerating her feeds well. We are taking care that she does not develop any pressure sores.”
The hospital has also involved the mother in taking care of her in the ICU, with necessary aseptic precautions.
Regarding her condition the Dr Shivakumar said, “The picture looks bad on the CT brain.”
The doctors present elaborated that the current treatment will not reverse the damage done to the brain, but will prevent further damage to it and complications to other organs.
