Praise A., 1

Praise is a one-year-old child from a family of two children. Her mother is the sole breadwinner and survives through a small-scale business that earns less than Kshs 2,500 per month, which supports the family’s daily needs. They live in a single-room rental house, share a pit latrine with neighbours, and obtain drinking water from a communal tap. Praise developed fast breathing, wheezing, severe cough, poor feeding, and loss of appetite. Her condition progressively worsened, and she became weak, restless, and unable to breastfeed or sleep comfortably due to difficulty breathing. The severity of her symptoms raised concern for a serious respiratory illness requiring urgent medical attention. However, her mother was financially unable to afford treatment at the time. In search of assistance, she shared Praise’s condition with a relative who works as a security officer at Mechimeru Hospital. The relative advised her to take Praise to the hospital, where vulnerable patients receive free medical care through support from Helpster Charity. Following this guidance, Praise was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

The treatment process for Praise’s acute bronchiolitis focuses on supportive care to ease breathing and help his body recover from the viral infection. At Mechimeru Hospital, he may receive oxygen therapy if his oxygen levels are low, nasal suctioning to clear mucus from his airways, fluids to prevent dehydration, and medication to reduce fever and discomfort. Health workers also closely monitor his breathing rate and overall condition to ensure he is stable. With proper and timely care, Praise is expected to gradually improve within a few days to weeks, with reduced wheezing and cough, restored appetite, and normal breathing returning as his lungs heal.

Following medical assessment, Praise was diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis with bronchospasms. Doctors noted that her fast breathing, wheezing, severe cough, poor feeding, and breathing difficulty indicated significant airway inflammation requiring prompt treatment. She was started on medication, supportive care, and close monitoring to stabilize her condition. Praise responded positively to treatment, with gradual improvement in breathing and feeding. With continued medication adherence, proper nutrition, and follow-up care, her prognosis is good, and she is expected to recover well.