Postmortem indicates laryngeal spasm and food aspiration; final report pending
Hyderabad: A three-month-old baby boy, who was administered polio drops on Sunday in Sangareddy district, died under suspicious circumstances at Bhimra of Kangti mandal of Sangareddy district.
While parents suspected polio drops to be the cause of death, a postmortem examination revealed that the baby had died due to tightening of the throat, which led to aspiration of food into the lungs.
The boy was the fourth child of Sarkurdoddi Swarna Latha and Umakanth, after three girls. According to the parents, "The baby boy faced breathing issues minutes after Asha workers administered polio drops. He later vomitted and fainted. We immediately shifted him to Naranakhed government hospital where the doctors declared him dead. It was a pathetic situation."
The district police registered a case of death under suspicious circumstances and shifted the body to a local area hospital for a postmortem. Collector P. Pravinya directed district medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr Naga Nirmala to submit a comprehensive report. The officials probed into the matter and determined that the death was not related to administering polio drops.
"The baby was given Pulse Polio drops at around 12 noon and was kept under observation till 12.30 pm. During this time, the baby was normal and did not show any problems. The parents took the baby home. At around 1 pm, the parents brought the baby back to the booth after the baby was crying continuously and vomitted once," DMHO said.
DMHO Dr Nirmala claimed that the mother had given the boy a bottle of milk after they reached home. When the baby began struggling, the ASHA worker on duty advised the baby to be taken to Kangti Primary Health Care (PHC) for a medical examination. “However, the parents took the baby to a private doctor in Kangti at around 2 pm. The doctor examined the baby and informed the Kangti PHC medical officer. When the medical officer reached PHC and examined the baby, he noticed that the lips were turning blue, foam was coming out of the nose, and he was not breathing. The doctor declared the baby dead at around 2.15 pm.”
The DMHO said the PHC Kangti medical officer had the body shifted to the Narayankhed area hospital for postmortem examination (PME). According to the PME report, the cause of death may have been laryngeal spasm (tightening of the throat), leading to aspiration of food into the lungs (aspiration). The stomach contents have been sent for laboratory examination, and the final report is awaited.
A total of 108 children were administered Pulse Polio drops through the same vial in the same booth, but no adverse reactions were recorded in them, officials said.
