Gavriel H., 2

Gavriel is a 2-year-old boy living with his single mother in one of the slums. The mother does casual laundry work and other odd jobs to provide for him. He enjoys playing with other children and eating rice and beans. He is not in school yet, but his mother hopes to enroll him next year. The child has had persistent nasal congestion since birth, accompanied by snoring and frequent restless nights. Over time, he developed signs of sleep apnea, often waking up to catch his breath. Sleep apnea is a condition in which an individual stops breathing briefly and repeatedly while sleeping. These pauses can last a few seconds or even more than a minute and may occur multiple times throughout the night. As a result, the brain and body receive less oxygen, which leads to disturbed sleep and tiredness during the day. He also experiences recurrent tonsillitis with occasional fevers, though he does not have a cough. His mother reports that she is always buying over the counter medication for the tonsillitis and fevers and also says that he can get the symptoms even twice a month.

The patient underwent adenotonsillectomy on 21 November 2025 to manage obstructive sleep apnea. They recovered well post-operatively and were discharged the following day on oral medications. The patient is scheduled for follow-up at the ENT outpatient clinic on 6 December 2025.

The child is expected to improve significantly after the surgery. Removing the enlarged adenoids and tonsils will open up his airway, allowing him to breathe more comfortably, especially at night. His snoring and episodes of waking up to breathe should gradually reduce and eventually stop. He is also likely to experience fewer throat infections and less night-time restlessness. Within a few weeks, his sleep quality should improve, which will help him have more energy during the day, feed better, grow well, and interact more actively with other children Without treatment, they risk ongoing breathing problems, poor sleep, delayed growth, and repeated infections.