Joy B., 7

Joy is a seven-year-old girl who lives with her parents in a city slum. She is the second of three children in the family. Joy enjoys playing football and dreams of becoming a teacher in the future. Her favorite meal is cornmeal and dried sardines (ugali and omena). She has been suffering from recurrent throat infections that have not improved despite medical treatment. Joy experiences snoring, disturbed sleep, and episodes of sleep apnea, often struggling to breathe, especially at night. Five days ago, she was taken to Barika Medical Centre, where it was noted that her breathing difficulties have been worsening. The situation has become so distressing that Joy sometimes fears going to sleep and frequently wakes up gasping for air in the middle of the night.

Little Joy Goden Barasa, 7years old, had trouble sleeping, snored loudly, and often breathed through her mouth. Her mother noticed she also got sore throats often and struggled to eat. At the hospital, doctors diagnosed her with adenotonsillar hypertrophy her tonsils and adenoids were too large and blocking her airway. After trying nasal sprays and medicine with little improvement, Joy underwent a simple surgery to remove the enlarged tissues. The first few days were tough her throat was sore, and she only wanted soft foods. But within two weeks, she was sleeping peacefully, breathing freely, and back to her playful self. Her mother smiled, saying, “She’s finally resting like an angel.”

Prognosis is good Joy was brought in to Barika Medical Centre with recurrent throat infection, snoring sleep disturbances and sleep apnea. Adenotonsillectomy procedure was done and given medication and she responded well to the treatment. untreated adenotonsillar hypertrophy can have significant impacts on a child's respiratory health, sleep quality, cardiovascular health, and overall well-being, potentially leading to a range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral problems.