Baby seeks sh15m for heart surgery
Jun 19, 2013
The life of a two-year old boy in Kampala hangs in balance after he was diagnosed with Down syndrome and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD).
By Innocent Anguyo
The life of a two-year old boy in Kampala hangs in balance after he was diagnosed with Down syndrome and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD).
Abdu Kigozi was diagnosed with the sicknesses at nine months by the Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago national referral hospital in Kampala.
According to Jadrine Tuhirirwe, Kigozi’s mother, at the time he was diagnosed with the conditions, he was weak, could neither sit upright nor crawl.
“To date, my son has not started walking. The doctors told me he had a hole in the heart and put him on treatment but after a year, there is no improvement. The doctors now recommend a surgery to fix the hole,” said Tuhirirwe amid sobs.
Down syndrome also called trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder that comes from a problem with the genes. Humans are supposed to have two chromosomes, one from the mother and the other from the father.
People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, or part of it. Children who have this condition take more time to learn new things and suffer impulsive behavior, poor judgment and short attention span.
There is no specific treatment for Down syndrome but certain heart defects may also require surgery.
Babies with Down syndrome can be identified at birth because they have a specific set of physical features, including narrow eyes, and flat nose-bridge, large tongues, and shorter fingers.
Sometimes the little fingers curve inwards as well, and there is also often a space between the big toe and the others.
When breast-feeding, the baby should be well supported and fully awake because the baby may have some leakage because of poor tongue control.
Behavioral training can help people with Down syndrome and their families deal with the frustration, anger, and compulsive behavior that often occur.
Meanwhile VSD is a defect in the ventricular septum, the wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart.VSD results in cyanosis, as blood is by-passing the lungs for oxygenation.
This effect is more noticeable in patients with larger defects, who may present with breathlessness, poor feeding and failure to thrive in infancy. VSD is usually symptomless at birth only to manifest a few weeks after birth.
Most cases do not need treatment and heal at the first years of life but some cases such as this of Kigozi may necessitate surgical intervention.
Doctors at the Uganda Heart Institute the surgery will cost about sh15m which he is seeking from Good Samaritans.
To contribute towards the surgery, please deposit money in account number 3720005916 of Centenary bank or call Tuhirirwe on 0785979038.