Touta--June 2015

Touta--June 2015 (Photo by John Carroll)

 

Touta is a three-month old baby boy who was brought to clinic today by Bernard (not his real name) who is a man I have known in Soleil for quite a few years. The baby is three months old and weighs 8.5 pounds.

Bernard told me that three weeks ago Touta’s mother left him alone in a room where she stayed as she moved out and never returned. Bernard brought him home with him and Touta now lives with Bernard, Bernard’s mother, and a couple of Bernard’s children. (Bernard’s common-law wife does not live with him and she knows nothing of Touta.)

One problem with this arrangement is that Bernard does not have the money to buy Touta any powdered milk and so he gives him tea. In the office today Touta had that terrible constant hungry cry and he had his fingers in his mouth much of the time. His skin had the usual flaky dermatitis seen with vitamin deficiency and his upper and lower legs were tense and swollen with fluid due to his severe malnutrition.

Touta’s temperature was 101 degrees F. I advised Bernard to take him to a children’s hospital near the American Embassy and he said he would take Touta tomorrow morning. I told him that he needed to take Touta right then because Touta could die quickly. After pressing four dollars into Bernard’s hand he agreed to take him to the hospital right away.

I called Bernard tonight and Touta was admitted to the children’s hospital. And Bernard was still with him.

Abandoned babies are very common in Haiti. But when I see them they really stress me out because after they are “tuned up” they simply need food and love. And this turns out to be very difficult to accomplish.

John A. Carroll, MD

www.haitianhearts.org