Infant who was fed mercury may recover soon: Docs
Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com
Thanjavur:29.08.2019
Doctors are closely monitoring the 12-day-old infant, who was admitted to Government Raja Mirsudar Hospital in Thanjavur, after she was fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice by her maternal grandmother to cure stomach ailments. As the chemical element has moved to the large intestine from the small intestine, there is a possibility of gradual recovery of the infant, pediatricians said.
The child is the daughter of Saravanam, 33, a carpenter and S Sumithra, 28, of Kallur near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district. The infant’s maternal grandmother, a native of Mayiladuthurai in Nagapattinam district, had fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice to the kid, thinking that it would clean and heal her stomach as it seemed swollen. After that the baby developed ailments and was admitted to the hospital on August 17. The girl has been undergoing treatment at the ICU. A team of doctors headed by pediatric surgeon R Prakash have been monitoring the girl. “A series of X-rays have been taken to monitor the movement of mercury in the baby’s stomach. As it is in liquid form, it is very difficult to remove it forcefully. However, the mercury has moved from the small intestine to the large intestine. We hope that it would come out,” Prakash said.
Meanwhile, Dr G Sambasivam, a pediatrician from Kumbakonam, said that proper breastfeeding alone can help the foreign object to come out. “Wrong beliefs still prevail among the people. It is time to create awareness among the public, particularly among women, amid practices like feeding children mercury,” he added.
Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com
Thanjavur:29.08.2019
Doctors are closely monitoring the 12-day-old infant, who was admitted to Government Raja Mirsudar Hospital in Thanjavur, after she was fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice by her maternal grandmother to cure stomach ailments. As the chemical element has moved to the large intestine from the small intestine, there is a possibility of gradual recovery of the infant, pediatricians said.
The child is the daughter of Saravanam, 33, a carpenter and S Sumithra, 28, of Kallur near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district. The infant’s maternal grandmother, a native of Mayiladuthurai in Nagapattinam district, had fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice to the kid, thinking that it would clean and heal her stomach as it seemed swollen. After that the baby developed ailments and was admitted to the hospital on August 17. The girl has been undergoing treatment at the ICU. A team of doctors headed by pediatric surgeon R Prakash have been monitoring the girl. “A series of X-rays have been taken to monitor the movement of mercury in the baby’s stomach. As it is in liquid form, it is very difficult to remove it forcefully. However, the mercury has moved from the small intestine to the large intestine. We hope that it would come out,” Prakash said.
Meanwhile, Dr G Sambasivam, a pediatrician from Kumbakonam, said that proper breastfeeding alone can help the foreign object to come out. “Wrong beliefs still prevail among the people. It is time to create awareness among the public, particularly among women, amid practices like feeding children mercury,” he added.
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