Birth Defects Treatment in India

Patient Name: Aditya Nair. Age &...

Patient Name: Aditya Nair. Age & Background: 2 days old, first child of Priya and Rajesh Nair, born full-term via normal delivery in a community hospital. Symptoms/History: Immediately after birth, nurses noted Aditya was not passing meconium and had a distended abdomen. He began vomiting green bile. A transfer to a tertiary care center confirmed a diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease, a birth defect where nerve cells are missing from parts of the intestine. Doctor Recommendation: The pediatric surgeon, Dr. Sharma, recommended a temporary colostomy surgery. This would create an opening in the abdomen to allow stool to pass, giving the inflamed bowel downstream time to heal and the baby to grow before a more definitive pull-through procedure later. Treatment Experience: Aditya underwent a laparoscopic-assisted colostomy. For Priya and Rajesh, seeing their tiny son with tubes and an ostomy bag was devastating. They spent hours learning stoma care from the nurses. Post-Procedure Recovery Outcome: After a rocky first 48 hours, Aditya began tolerating feeds. His abdomen softened, and he started gaining weight. The surgery successfully decompressed his bowel. Emotional Journey: Before, the parents were in shock and terrified by the emergency transfer and diagnosis. They felt guilt and fear for their son's future. After, while still anxious about the long road ahead, they felt empowered. Seeing Aditya comfortable, feeding, and growing gave them hope. They shifted from feeling helpless to becoming capable caregivers, focused on getting him strong for his next surgery.