Abigael K., 2

Abigael is a two-year-old girl and the youngest in a family of three children. She lives with her parents and siblings in Misikhu village. The family faces financial challenges, as her father earns a modest income selling jerricaned water using a bicycle, bringing in about 2,000 per month—an amount that is barely sufficient to meet their basic needs. Despite these hardships, Abigael is a cheerful, lively, and playful child who brings joy to her family. She enjoys simple activities such as playing with household items, clapping along to songs, and following her older siblings as they play. She is curious and active, spending much of her time exploring her surroundings and learning new things. Her laughter and bright smile are a source of happiness for both her family and neighbors. Though still too young to express her own aspirations, her parents hope she will grow up healthy, attend school, and have a better future. Three days prior to presentation, Abigael became unwell, developing frequent vomiting, loose stools, and fever. Her mother initially attempted to manage her condition at home by selling one of her hens to afford over-the-counter medication from a local shop. However, despite this effort, Abigael’s condition did not improve and instead worsened. With the little money she had left, the mother sought transport to take her daughter to Bokoli Sub-County Hospital, recalling information about Helpster Charity from a neighbor who had previously received assistance. Upon arrival, Abigael was promptly attended to by the medical team. Due to severe vomiting and diarrhea, she was found to be significantly dehydrated and was immediately started on intravenous fluids for rehydration. While admitted, further investigations were conducted. On the third day of admission, results revealed that she had markedly low hemoglobin levels. As blood transfusion services were not available at Bokoli Sub-County Hospital, she was referred to another facility of the mother’s choice for blood transfusion and further specialized care.

Abigael was received and attended to at Bokoli Sub-County Hospital after she had been suffering from mild diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever. The medical team examined her and immediately started treatment to stabilize her condition. Because she had lost a lot of fluids due to diarrhoea and vomiting, she was put on intravenous fluids to help rehydrate her body. Doctors also carried out several laboratory tests while she remained admitted in the hospital ward. After careful monitoring and tests, it was discovered that Abigael had low haemoglobin, which meant that the level of blood in her body was lower than normal. The doctors continued to manage her symptoms while monitoring her progress. Although her diarrhoea gradually improved with medication and fluids, the medical team advised that she would need a blood transfusion to restore her haemoglobin levels. Since blood transfusion services are not available at Bokoli Sub-County Hospital, the doctors advised the mother to seek the service at another hospital that offers transfusion.

At presentation, she had ongoing vomiting and diarrhea leading to significant fluid loss, which explains her dehydration. The dehydration likely contributed to her weakness, poor feeding, and general deterioration. Additionally, the finding of low hemoglobin indicates severe anaemia, which further compromises oxygen delivery to vital organs and worsens her overall condition. The combination of these two conditions places Abigael at high risk of rapid deterioration, including shock, organ dysfunction, and death if not promptly managed. Abigael’s condition is critical but treatable with urgent medical care. Early intervention, including fluid resuscitation and blood transfusion, is key to saving her life. With continued management and follow-up, she is expected to recover and resume normal growth and development.