Some years ago my domestic help was taken ill after returning from her country. She was purging and having diarrhoea. As cholera was prevalent then, I decided to take her to the hospital's emergency department for an examination and a rectal swab.
While waiting for her, I stood near the table where the doctor on duty sat and observed the goings-on. The casualty room was relatively busy and there was only one doctor on duty. I knew the officer as he had ever worked in my health program before. We had small chats. At the corner of my eye, I saw a man standing close to a bed with an infant lying quietly on it.
After writing some notes on a medical record, the doctor went over to the child and without so much as asking for the history, he proceeded to examine him/her. I noticed that he did not even look at the child. He was looking sideways when he put his stethoscope on the child's chest! Then he came over to the table and scribbled his "findings".
Then I heard an elderly nurse, in a bored, melodious tone, asking, " Whaaat are weeee dooooing with this child doctor?". And to my surprise the doctor replied, "Nothing wrong with him, send him home". My instincts told me something was not right, and having worked in a busy Children' s ward for two years , I could not help but stepped in.
I took one look at the child, about 12 months old, and noted that he was unusually QUIET, limbs hardly moving, eyes opened, nasal flaring and skin very dry (poor turgor). I felt for his fontanel (scalp suture above the forehead, normally remains open till about 18th month old) and noted that it was depressed. My God, the child was at least 10% dehydrated!
I told the doctor that the child needed an IV drip fast and that he should be admitted to the ward as the signs showed that he was severely dehydrated and should he be sent home, he would surely die.
I turned around and spoke to the man, the child's father who had tears in his eyes as he related to me that this was the third time he brought his child to the casualty and the last two times he was told to bring the child home. According to him the child had been having diarrhea and could not feed for some days.
The on-call pediatric medical officer was contacted and came down to the casualty and confirmed the findings and the child was promptly resuscitated and admitted to the ward.
I have never forgotten that quiet child. Should a nurse or anybody else tells me that a child is sick but is very quiet, I worry...... really worry.
While waiting for her, I stood near the table where the doctor on duty sat and observed the goings-on. The casualty room was relatively busy and there was only one doctor on duty. I knew the officer as he had ever worked in my health program before. We had small chats. At the corner of my eye, I saw a man standing close to a bed with an infant lying quietly on it.
After writing some notes on a medical record, the doctor went over to the child and without so much as asking for the history, he proceeded to examine him/her. I noticed that he did not even look at the child. He was looking sideways when he put his stethoscope on the child's chest! Then he came over to the table and scribbled his "findings".
Then I heard an elderly nurse, in a bored, melodious tone, asking, " Whaaat are weeee dooooing with this child doctor?". And to my surprise the doctor replied, "Nothing wrong with him, send him home". My instincts told me something was not right, and having worked in a busy Children' s ward for two years , I could not help but stepped in.
I took one look at the child, about 12 months old, and noted that he was unusually QUIET, limbs hardly moving, eyes opened, nasal flaring and skin very dry (poor turgor). I felt for his fontanel (scalp suture above the forehead, normally remains open till about 18th month old) and noted that it was depressed. My God, the child was at least 10% dehydrated!
I told the doctor that the child needed an IV drip fast and that he should be admitted to the ward as the signs showed that he was severely dehydrated and should he be sent home, he would surely die.
I turned around and spoke to the man, the child's father who had tears in his eyes as he related to me that this was the third time he brought his child to the casualty and the last two times he was told to bring the child home. According to him the child had been having diarrhea and could not feed for some days.
The on-call pediatric medical officer was contacted and came down to the casualty and confirmed the findings and the child was promptly resuscitated and admitted to the ward.
I have never forgotten that quiet child. Should a nurse or anybody else tells me that a child is sick but is very quiet, I worry...... really worry.
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2 comments:
Very touching story! This is one of the reasons why I keep coming back to read your blog. It makes me realise other important things in life besides busily work for money, like health of my family and myself, and love & caring for them.
Money is nothing without health and happiness and of course our family and friends.
I read about a very wealthy American lady who died alone and gave away all her money to charities!
Money is everything and yet it is not really everything.
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