Vadodara: Six months ago, 11-year-old Aasim Patel was rushed to the state-run SSG Hospital, hardly walking and almost in a state of comatose, paralysed by high-grade fever, continuous convulsions and losing nearly all his senses.
For four and a half months, Aasim, a resident of Godhra, remained hooked onto a life support system. But a miracle happened and the tweenager fought back valiantly till he could start walking again, albeit with a walker, for now.
It all began when Aasim started suffering from encephalomyelitis, a neurological disorder. His muscles had lost the strength to move, the diaphragm and respiratory muscles were so weak that the minor could not breath by himself.
The middle-class family that he hails from with father Wasim Patel, trading in wood, fell apart after his first born suddenly fell ill last year.
While the boy was under ventilator, there were other complications – pneumonia, urinal infection and fungal infection – that wreaked havoc on the little frame. He was under constant treatment by doctors and cared for by his father and grandmother Ajraben, while his mother was taking care of his younger sibling.
“We carried all sorts of examinations including cerebrospinal fluid examination, viral titres, blood examination, MRI, EEGETC investigations and was finally diagnosed with encephalomyelitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. We still don’t know what triggered it,” said Dr Sheila Aiyer, head of paediatrics department.
For doctors and nurses at the paediatric department of Central Gujarat’s biggest government hospital, this is nothing short of a miracle.
“We kept treating him with medications. After prolonged neurological morbidity and prolonged ventilator need, we saw him recovering. It was a first for many of us,” said Dr Aiyer.
Doctors performed tracheostomy (an opening created at the front of the neck to help one breath) to help Aasim, which will be closed within a week now. “As his neurological recovery started, from the ventilator he was gradually weaned over. After he was able to breathe spontaneously, he was shifted to ward from PICU,” said Dr Aiyer.
“Fortunately, he has not lost his memory, he responds to queries, identifies family members. His speech will also return,” said the doctor, adding that Aasim’s treatment at the public hospital is being done for free.
A grateful father, Vasim thanks not only the hospital staff for helping his son heal, but also for the fact that such prolonged treatment under ventilator support would have cost at least half a crore to the family. “Before we brought him to SSG Hospital, my son was already under a ventilator at a private hospital for 10 days leading to a medical bill of Rs 12 lakh,” Vasim told TOI.
For four and a half months, Aasim, a resident of Godhra, remained hooked onto a life support system. But a miracle happened and the tweenager fought back valiantly till he could start walking again, albeit with a walker, for now.
It all began when Aasim started suffering from encephalomyelitis, a neurological disorder. His muscles had lost the strength to move, the diaphragm and respiratory muscles were so weak that the minor could not breath by himself.
The middle-class family that he hails from with father Wasim Patel, trading in wood, fell apart after his first born suddenly fell ill last year.
While the boy was under ventilator, there were other complications – pneumonia, urinal infection and fungal infection – that wreaked havoc on the little frame. He was under constant treatment by doctors and cared for by his father and grandmother Ajraben, while his mother was taking care of his younger sibling.
“We carried all sorts of examinations including cerebrospinal fluid examination, viral titres, blood examination, MRI, EEGETC investigations and was finally diagnosed with encephalomyelitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. We still don’t know what triggered it,” said Dr Sheila Aiyer, head of paediatrics department.
For doctors and nurses at the paediatric department of Central Gujarat’s biggest government hospital, this is nothing short of a miracle.
“We kept treating him with medications. After prolonged neurological morbidity and prolonged ventilator need, we saw him recovering. It was a first for many of us,” said Dr Aiyer.
Doctors performed tracheostomy (an opening created at the front of the neck to help one breath) to help Aasim, which will be closed within a week now. “As his neurological recovery started, from the ventilator he was gradually weaned over. After he was able to breathe spontaneously, he was shifted to ward from PICU,” said Dr Aiyer.
“Fortunately, he has not lost his memory, he responds to queries, identifies family members. His speech will also return,” said the doctor, adding that Aasim’s treatment at the public hospital is being done for free.
A grateful father, Vasim thanks not only the hospital staff for helping his son heal, but also for the fact that such prolonged treatment under ventilator support would have cost at least half a crore to the family. “Before we brought him to SSG Hospital, my son was already under a ventilator at a private hospital for 10 days leading to a medical bill of Rs 12 lakh,” Vasim told TOI.
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