Worries about little Kadim
As the sun rises over Bethlehem signaling the beginning of another day of temperatures in the forties, Alya has already been on the road a long time. The minibus she is in is filled to the last seat. In her arms she is holding her two-year-old son Kadim. The child has suffered from diarrhea for three days, and his small body has become so weak that it only lies motionless in his mother’s arms. The Caritas Baby Hospital is Alya’s last hope. The family, with six mouths to feed, can afford neither doctors nor medicine. The father, Jusuf, has been unemployed for five years. The family has nothing; they simply can’t afford to get sick. This is not Alya’s first visit to the Caritas baby Hospital. There, she receives the assistance she needs gratis, and a social worker from Children’s Relief Bethlehem drops by regularly to see how the family is doing.
When Alya and Kadim finally arrive at the Caritas Baby Hospital, Dr. Jamal takes a look at the boy. After a thorough examination, he tells the worried mother, “Kadim has a bacterial infection. The diarrhea has taken a lot of water and minerals out of him.” Alya is close to tears. She reproaches herself bitterly for not having brought her youngest son to the Caritas Baby Hospital earlier. Seeing her desperate expression, Dr. Jamal consoles the young mother. “Kadim will have to stay with us a couple of days,” he says, “but then he will be completely healthy again.” Alya’s tears quickly give way to a cautious smile of relief.
Alya will stay in the Caritas Baby Hospital with Kadim during his recovery. That way, she can help take care of him, and her presence will help him regain strength. The young mother will also use this chance to go to the Mother’s School: she is eager to learn how to keep her children healthier in the future. The Mother’s School will teach her to use the scarce resources at her disposal more effectively for her family’s protection.
Dr. Jamal is quite satisfied with Kadim’s progress. “His general health is comparatively good,” the pediatrician says. “That’s why the IV saline solution has worked so quickly, giving his body enough strength to fight the infection.” Unfortunately, Dr. Jamal knows that many children do not respond as well. When children are already seriously weakened by chronic malnutrition, a simple infection and the resulting diarrhea can quickly become life-threatening. Kadim, however, is smiling again. After only four days, he and his mother leave the Caritas Baby Hospital. Alya is certain: thanks to the assistance of the mothers’ counselors, she will be able to keep a more vigilent eye on her family’s health in the future.
