Stephen I., 16

Stephen Isaboke is a 16-year-old boy currently living at New Beginning Children’s Home. He is well-known for his good character and strong academic performance. Stephen is sociable, enjoys playing football, and easily makes friends. He dreams of becoming a lecturer in the future. He was abandoned by his parents in 2017 in the Kibera slums in Nairobi. Facing the hardships of street life, Stephen reached out to people for help. One day, he met a church leader who later connected him to New Beginning Children’s Home, where he found care and support. The children’s home later learned about Helpster Charity through a site visit conducted by medical personnel from Rheemah Hospital. Five days before being taken to the hospital, Stephen began experiencing persistent middle-ear pain, pus discharge from the left ear, severe itchiness, and reduced hearing. He was initially treated with Amoxil 500 mg and gentamycin ear drops, but after four days without improvement, he was taken to Rheemah Hospital by Diana, a volunteer at the children’s home. After a thorough medical evaluation, Stephen was diagnosed with suppurative otitis media and an open wound in the left ear. If Suppurative otitis media is not treated, it can lead to serious complications such as hearing loss, eardrum perforation or severe brain infection

Five days before he was brought to the hospital He started complaining of persistent middle‑ear pain , purse discharge from the left year, severe itchiness and impaired hearing , he was given Amoxil 500mg and Gentamycin ear drop. After 4 days of this medication with no improvement, he was brought to Rheemah Hospital with the help of Diana who is a volunteer at the children's home. Thorough examination was done and he was diagnosed with chronic allergic otitis media, open wound left year. He was put on I.V Ceftriaxon/ Sulbactum 1.5mg od x 3/7, i.v Metronidazole 500mg tds x 3/7, Po Floxapen 500mg qid x 5/7, Po Zulu 12 bd x 5/7,Probeta N ear drops bd x 7/7, on his visit of the 3rd inj he ha already started showing signs of responding well to treatment. After 7 days he was able to go back to school without pain .

On examination, the diagnosis of suppurative otitis media with an associated open wound in the left ear indicated a more advanced infection requiring targeted management. The medical team initiated appropriate treatment, including stronger or adjusted antibiotics, proper ear care (aural toileting), pain management, and close monitoring to prevent further complications such as spread of infection or worsening hearing loss. The prognosis is generally good with timely and appropriate treatment. Stephen is expected to recover well, with resolution of infection and improvement in symptoms.