Sri Lanka
Long Term Medical Support for Children Update
February 24, 2011
Our Children’s Long Term Medical Treatment and Growth Hormone Projects continues into 2011 with 5 children being treated to promote normal levels of growth and weight for their age and any other serious medical issues that are brought to our attention. Each month the families are seen by Prof. Sujeewa Amarasena, Head of the Department of Pediatrics at the Karapitya Teaching Hospital in Galle, Sri Lanka.
Photo above: Children from left to right; Gayan, Fazeer, Madura, and Madumekala
Real Medicine has also decided to provide food parcels and contribute to each family’s travel expenses to visit the hospital for the children’s treatment.
On the 27th of January, 5 of our children participated with their parents in a check-up and treatment session at the Karapitiya Hospital.
Tharindu is now 18 years old and has been treated for hyperlipidemia since 2005. He has his blood profile taken every 3 months to check his cholesterol. Tharindu is continuing to receive his medication every 3 months as well as a nutritious food parcel every month. As he lost his mother in the Tsunami, his aunt prepares his healthy fat free diet for him. Tharindu is also taking a course at the local Technical College in Tangalle and is maintaining regular exercise such as swimming and cycling. Recently Prof. Sujeewa has referred him to Medical Consultant Dr. Sajith Siyambalapitiya at Karapitiya Hosptial. After checking the current Lipid Profile Report Dr. Sajith had changed Tharindu’s medicine and has prescribed new kind of tablet for him.
The Medicine:- 01. Atorvastatin 80mgs. 02. Aspirin 150mgs. (dosage reduced) 03. Ezetimibe 10mgs. (new Tablet)
Madumekala had not gained as much progress in her height as we had hoped in these past 6 months. As of January 27th, Madu’s height is 124.1 centimeters and weighs 20.9 kilograms. She is now 16 years old; her bone age is that of a 15 year old. Her family continues to receive a food parcel to supplement the hormone treatment. Moving forward, Prof. Sujeewa, the treating physician, is in the process of evaluating treatment as aggressively as safe for Madumekala to achieve as much growth as possible in the remainder of the time left for her to reach a satisfactory adult height.
Fazeer is 15 years old and is being treated for abnormally low height and weight. He has recently restarted his treatments after a short absence due to the cost of travel and as of January 27th his height is 141.6 centimeters and weight is 36.1 kilograms. He is also given regular resupplies of an auto-injector so that he can be treated by family as well. We are hoping his height and weight will continue to improve now that he is attending more regularly.
Gayan is 14 years old and he studies in 5th grade. Gayan’s father is a farmer and has financial difficulties supporting his family. Because of Gayan’s low body weight, Prof. Sujeewa had recently prescribed an increase in the dosage of the growth hormone from 7 clicks of the auto-injector to 9 clicks per day. Gayan has grown in height with treatment but his weight is now the larger issue to be focused on. As of January 27th, his height is 142.4 and weight has grown to 25.1 kilograms, which is an improvement but he still has a way to go.
Madura is now 13 years old and so far Prof. Sujeewa is pleased with his progress. As of January 27th, Madura’s height is 127 centimeters and weight is 23 kilograms. Madura recently had an accident and he could not walk temporarily, but his parents had continued to obtain the growth hormone vials for his treatment. During the last visit to Karapitiya his parents were given a new Auto Injector by Baurs & Co. Madura will continue with the Growth Hormone Therapy until he is 16 years old.