Meet Altaaf

Four-year-old Altaaf is going home today.

This happy, busy boy can be a little too active. His exuberance has caused more injuries than his mom mentions, but this time , it landed him in the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Emergency Centre.

Aqeela leans over the bed rail to see what her son wants to show her. Thank goodness for the clever distraction of a mobile phone at times like these. On the screen, Altaaf watches dolphins at play. The pain is cast aside momentarily, and gleeful laughter occurs. Aqeela smiles. Her face softens. Her relief is clearly visible.

Just a few days ago, what started as a family bonding in play, soon became a terrifying experience of pain and distress.

“He jumped on us, then fell to the back and hit the wall. He broke his femur bone as he fell.”

The bed was high; the fall was bad.

“I’m always so careful,” Aqeela continues because she knows how boisterous her little one can be. Altaaf has gotten hurt playing at crèche, but this was the first time he broke a bone.

Within minutes they were on the way to their nearest hospital. After an initial assessment, they were transferred to the Children’s Hospital.

This was a huge comfort to the young mom.

“It’s a hospital for kids, and they are the best. That will probably be the best thing for him.” Like every parent, her first thoughts were about what would be best for her child.

At Red Cross, she would be included in decisions regarding what would be best for her son’s wellbeing.

They arrived by ambulance and were immediately seen at the Emergency Centre. Once they were transferred to the Trauma ward, the medical team guided Altaaf’s parents as they had to decide about the surgery this little one would require. Aqeela listened closely but also considered their surgical options’ long-term effects. Dr Horn became her spokesperson in the conversation about what’s best for her son. Dr Horn has all the experience and knowledge to support Aqeela’s preference for the Spica treatment.

“For me, I knew that the femur nail wasn’t going to be a good option because he’s so young,” says the watchful mom.

Aqeela feared her child would experience pain even after the bone was set. Mothers are our sentinels: they look out for what might lay ahead. Dr Horn is the same sentinel for many children who pass through the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Orthopaedic department.

Together, Dr Horn and mom, Aqeela, made the best decision for young Altaaf. They would use a Spica cast to set the bone.

Spica casts are put on under sedation or general anaesthesia. Typically, it will stay on for 12 weeks. If, for any reason, it needs to be re-cast, it would require more anaesthesia. This further exposure to anaesthesia will be avoided as far as possible. So, proper care of the Spica cast is imperative.

A Spica cast is a body cast designed to keep the femur(thighbone) and the pelvis still. It covers the child from the waist or armpits, around the chest, all the way down to the ankle of the affected leg, while the other portion is only in the cast to the top of the thigh. There is often a bar across the legs. There is an opening in the diaper area, and great care is taken to ensure that the cast fits well enough to secure the best position for the bones but not too tightly that it impedes circulation.

Altaaf will attend the Ortho clinic at Red Cross to monitor his progress and keep watch for any discomfort and/or danger.

Aqeela’s face lights up as she talks about the impact and support of Dr Horn’s presence on their path. Knowing that the medical team has the same considerations as a parent can infuse the healing journey with faith and trust.

Faith and trust are no small parts of the healing process. Altaaf’s dad, Ridaa, hands his son a beautiful string of prayer beads. “It’s for protection,” he says as Altaaf is wheeled to his final X-ray before he is discharged.

Ridaa talks about the gratitude they have as a family for the help they receive at the Children’s Hospital.

The nurse calls Dad to show him how to carry his son in the Spica cast.

Altaaf is going home. And wherever he goes, he will always be in good hands.

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