Baby Christine’s brand new smile

Name: Christine Lekirapiti

Age: Female, 18 Months 

Manyatta: Sereolipi, Namunyak Conservancy

Diagnosis: Cleft Lip and Palate

Christine’s Story

Baby Christine is part of a set of twins who were born at home to a mother who had never attended an antenatal clinic. 

Soon after the birth, the twins were taken to Sereolipi Health Centre where Christine’s cleft lip and palate could be assessed. Unfortunately, the only help they were offered were counselling and instructions on how to cup feed Christine. The family sought further help to no avail.

Because of the demands of having twins, Christine’s mother had to express milk for feeds, but struggled to express enough. Subsequently,  Christine’s health declined, struggled to gain weight and became sick. An incredibly frustrating experience for any new mother.

When the The Sarara Foundation’s Health Team heard about Christine, they immediately intervened and supplied the mother with Nan powder milk to help her to supplement breast milk. This was costly, but worth it. 

Not long after, Christine had gained the required weight as was approved for surgery. 

Surgery

To treat and repair Christine’s cleft lip and palate, two surgeries were scheduled. Normally the procedure requires only one surgery but, because of Christine’s tender age, the surgery was split in two. The first surgery would repair her cleft lip and was booked for 1 June 2020 at Meru Teaching & Referral Hospital. The second surgery was scheduled at Chogoria Hospital to repair the cleft palate.

Unfortunately, the second surgery coincided with Covid-19 when most hospitals were carrying out emergency surgeries only, as directed by the Government. 

Although her cleft lip was repaired, the cleft palate was causing Christine to get frequent chest infections due to inhaling food particles. Her inability to latch on well during breastfeeding continued.

Despite the mother’s efforts to express milk, she found that her milk was not sufficient for the twins and decided to discontinue the twin sister from breastfeeding at early stage, in order to help Christine.

After exhausting all avenues at public hospitals which were still closed to regular surgeries due to Covid-19,  the Sarara Foundation's Health Team was able to secure a surgery date in a private hospital for Christine in March 2021.

This was the result of the Health Team’s decision to have a doctor travel to Namunyak in February this year,  at the Foundation’s expense, to assess Christine at home. 

When Christine arrived at the hospital for her long-awaited cleft palate surgery, she was found to have below normal blood-levels (5.7gdl) and received a transfusion. Moreover, Christine was also suffering from another chest infection. She was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation and her surgery was postponed with a week to the 16th of March, 2021.

The three-hour surgery was successfully carried out without any complications and Christine was discharged the following day with medication to use at home (Augmentin, Brufen and Panadol syrup).

Recovery

Three days after her discharge, the Health Team received a distressing call from Christine’s mother in the middle of the night, alerting the team that Christine had been crying for two consecutive days. 

In consultation with the surgeons at Chogoria Hospital, the Health Team found the pain was caused by Christine’s tight stitches and painful surgery and addressed her pain.

Christine’s had a scheduled check-up on the 28th of April at Meru Teaching & Referral Hospital. The doctor was happy with her healing and progress and requested that Christine remains on a fluid-only diet for a month. Her next check-up is scheduled for July 2021.

The doctor noted a small sinus infection on the surgical site, but reassured the team that it’s not uncommon since the surgery required that they pull a muscle to cover the palate. The stitches were to come out by themselves.

Christine was visited by the Health Team on the 30th of April 2021 and reported that she is doing great and is also able to feed well, at last! One of her stitches had started coming out by themselves already.

Christine’s mother is incredibly grateful for the the support and assistance throughout the entire process. 

The Foundation's Health Team will keep monitoring Christine’s progress over the next three months, until she has made a full recovery.