Baby in jaws of death saved

VICIOUS VIRUS: SPECIALISED METHOD OF VENTILATION IS LIFELINE FOR TWO-MONTH-OLD

- Citizen reporter

When a two-month-old baby's chest infection suddenly turned serious, he was not breathing properly and was slipping in and out of consciousness, says his mother, remembering the horrifying realisation.

"I knew we had to try to keep him awake. He needed urgent medical care and so I drove with Nkateko on my lap to the emergency department at Netcare Waterfall City Hospital.

"I don't remember parking the car — I just rushed him inside and they immediately put him on oxygen," said Nthabiseng Mlangeni.

Nkateko was first admitted to the paediatric unit and his mother was able to remain with her son, rooming with him.

After several days in the hospital, Nkateko was again struggling to breathe, despite medication and physiotherapy to help clear mucus from his lungs.

Doctors transferred Nkateko, whose name means "blessing," to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) under the care of paediatric intensivist Dr Palesa Monyake.

"In the PICU, they started him on high-flow oxygen and Dr Monyake explained the unfamiliar environment to us, the treatment Nkateko was receiving and how they were monitoring his condition every minute.