Mary A., 6

Mary is the second-born child in her family. Her stepbrother lives with his father following their parents’ separation, while Mary remains with her parents in a small two-room mud-walled house. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy during infancy. Both of her parents are unemployed and survive on occasional casual jobs to meet their basic needs. The family learned about Helpster Charity through a nurse working at a local health centre. Her mother recalls that on the day of the incident, she left Mary in the care of a neighbour so she could go and do casual farm work. When she returned later that day, she found that Mary felt unusually hot and had not eaten. She prepared food and attempted to feed her, but Mary was unable to retain it and vomited shortly afterward. Worried about her condition, the mother consulted the area Community Health Promoter, who advised her to seek care at the local health centre. At the health centre, Mary was admitted overnight and given initial treatment. The following day, the medical team recommended referral to Siaya County Referral Hospital for further management. However, her mother initially declined the referral because she feared she would not be able to afford the medical expenses. A clinical officer at the health centre reassured her that Helpster Charity could provide assistance if, upon assessment, the family was confirmed to be underprivileged. With this assurance, she agreed to proceed with the referral so that Mary could receive the necessary specialized care.

Mary Was brought to the hospital with complaints of hotness of the body and vomiting. She was diagnosed with malaria, severe acute malnutrition and rickets. She was promptly admitted to the ward for management where a cross disciplinary team Fromm the nutritional, medical and physiotherapy department attended to her. Mary responded well to medication and could even eat, she was eventually discharged on orals with a review clinic booked for her for after two weeks.

The prognosis for a 6-year-old child with Cerebral Palsy (CP), Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Malaria, and Rickets is critically guarded and carries a significant risk of mortality. Without immediate, high-level inpatient intervention, this combination is often fatal.