Yenuki W., 1

Baby Yenuki is an energetic and sociable little girl, the youngest of three children, with three additional step-siblings from her mother, Sithara. The family, including grandparents, lives together in a modest house with limited amenities, all dependent on the income of Yenuki's father. He works as a manual laborer and also part-time at a local restaurant, but his earnings are hardly enough to support the nine family members. When Yenuki developed a mild upper respiratory infection, her parents took her to a government hospital where she was treated on an outpatient basis and sent home. A week later, her mother noticed a growing lump under Yenuki’s left ear. As her condition worsened, Yenuki began refusing food and developed a fever, which concerned her mother. Unable to secure admission for Yenuki in the government hospital—due to her responsibilities at home with other young children and a dwindling trust in the system after previous experiences—Sithara sought help from neighbors. One of them, employed at Cooperative Hospital Gampaha, introduced her to the Helpster Charity.

Yenuki was suffering from skin abscess. After admission this child was on IV antibiotics and symptomatic management followed by an Incision and drainage procedure for the abscess in her neck. IV antibiotics were then converted to oral and after assessment and inspection of incision she was discharged. Yenuki feels great now. Yenuki's family is very grateful to Helpster Charity Heroes!

The abscess may reform if not properly drained and treated, as the infection can persist. To treat the abscess, a small incision in the abscess needs to be made to allow the pus to drain out. This is usually done after the area is numbed with a local anesthetic to minimize pain. In some cases, especially if the abscess is large, deep, or associated with a systemic infection, antibiotics may be prescribed to help clear the infection.