 |
Shahanur AlamIndian boy with bilateral pleural effusion
Country:
 India |
Content:
- A Desperate Plea for Help: Indian Boy's Enormous Swelling
- A Rare and Painful Condition
- Foster Parents' Heartbreaking Appeal
- A Troubled Childhood with No Diagnosis
- Desperate Measures and a Grim Prognosis
- Pleurisy: A Life-Threatening Condition
A Desperate Plea for Help: Indian Boy's Enormous Swelling
Seven-year-old Shahanur Alam's impoverished foster parents are desperately appealing for funds to provide life-saving surgery for the little boy whose stomach has swelled to the size of two soccer balls. Shahanur has become emaciated, with his skeletal frame protruding, while his swollen belly renders him immobile.
A Rare and Painful Condition
The bulging abdomen is a result of "bilateral pleural effusion," an inflammatory condition that causes a dangerous accumulation of fluid. Not only is the boy unable to walk, but he also vomits every time he attempts to eat. Doctors have warned that the only way to save Alam's life is through surgery, but it will cost the foster family £2,400 (approximately $3,100).
Foster Parents' Heartbreaking Appeal
Shamela and her husband Salim-ud-Din, who barely make ends meet, have appealed to their government to save their beloved son. "Shahanur is in terrible pain," said Shamela. "He can't even take a few steps because of the weight of his stomach. Our son is not getting any nourishment. We force-feed him rice, but he just throws it up. Look at him—all skin and bones."
"But his stomach keeps growing and growing, and we are terrified we are going to lose him if he doesn't get help," she added. Salim-ud-Din echoed her fears, saying, "Time is running out. We know we could lose him any day now without urgent surgery."
"We have no money, but we hope that the government and kind-hearted people will come to our aid and save our child," he implored.
A Troubled Childhood with No Diagnosis
The desperate couple from Barpeta, Assam, adopted Shahanur when he was just seven months old. They recall him being a happy and healthy child until a few years ago, when he began complaining of severe stomach pain.
Initially, his parents dismissed it as a minor infection, but the abnormal growth of Shahanur's stomach soon alarmed them. The boy was taken to numerous hospitals, where doctors were baffled and unable to diagnose his condition.
Parents were sent home with pain medication that did nothing to alleviate the swelling. Shahanur's condition continued to deteriorate as he dropped out of school due to the excruciating pain and became dangerously thin from malnutrition.
Desperate Measures and a Grim Prognosis
In a desperate attempt, the parents sold all their belongings and took their son to a hospital in another state with better medical facilities. They had enough money to run tests, which revealed the accumulation of fluid in his abdomen and a thickened gallbladder wall due to sediment buildup.
Surgery is the only option to treat the boy's condition, but the family has no means to pay for it. "We didn't have the money for the surgery, so we had to return home," said Shamela. "We have already used up all our savings and have been spending £20-30 per month on medicines."
Pleurisy: A Life-Threatening Condition
Pleurisy is the abnormal buildup of fluid in the pleural cavity, which can be a symptom of cancer. The pleura is a two-layer membrane that produces fluid to aid in breathing.
Cancer cells can sometimes spread to the pleura, leading to fluid buildup and shortness of breath due to the compression of the lungs. A chest X-ray or ultrasound is typically used to diagnose pleurisy, along with other possible tests.
Treatment for pleurisy involves draining the fluid slowly, usually through a tube inserted into the chest cavity through a small incision. If the fluid reaccumulates, the procedure may need to be repeated. In some cases, chemotherapy or hormone therapy is required to target the cancerous growth to prevent further fluid buildup.
