Boy recovers from rare disease at government hospital

Addressing a press conference at his camber on Wednesday, the Dean said that J Jeganathan (9), the patient hailing from Maharajapuram, Srivilliputhur taluk, Virudhunagar district, was admitted to the government hospital on May 27 with respiratory issues.

After a series of medical treatments by a team of doctors and post-operative care by physiotherapists and nurses, Jeganathan has been recovering well from ascending paralysis, the Dean said.

He is expected to be recovered completely in a month and be able to walk on his own, he added. The patient could walk up to the Dean’s chamber with the support of his parents and the doctors.

Out of 81 days of treatment, the patient was put on ventilator support for 59 days. Initially, the boy had developed a weakness in one of his lower limbs, which soon spread to the muscles of the upper part of his body.

At one stage, he could hardly swallow and communicate orally. Later, he developed respiratory paralysis and gastrointestinal infection and hence, he was referred to intensive respiratory care unit, Dr Maruthupandian said. 

Swelling up with tears on her eyes, the patient’s mother Anushya, thanked the doctors, who helped him recover from the ailment, and said the doctors had boosted confidence of both the patient and his parents. His father Jayaram had no words to speak except for tears rolling down his cheeks.