Bangalore: 5-year-old Monisha Couldn't Defy Death a Second Time

DHNS
 
Bangalore, Jun 28: Five-year-old Monisha - who had survived a traumatic day in December last when her father committed suicide and her mother sought to strangle her before killing herself - succumbed to dengue hemorrhagic fever here on Friday morning.
 

On December 24 last, Monisha’s father, Nagesh, hanged himself after an altercation with his wife, Sudha. Seeing her husband’s body hanging from the ceiling, a desperate Sudha strangulated Monisha and hanged herself.

Thirty-six hours later, Monisha was found in a semi-conscious state along with the dead bodies of her parents in her house. She survived after battling for life in hospital for a couple of months, though she never really overcame the shock.

The girl was admitted to the paediatric wing of M S Ramaiah Memorial Hospital (MSRMH) on Wednesday. Doctors diagnosed her condition as dengue hemorrhagic fever with shock.
 
 
The shock is a condition that arises with certain type of dengue fever where hands and feet become cold, blood pressure falls and pulse becomes thready (no volume), explained the Professor and Head, Department of Pediatrics, MSRMH, Dr P P Maiya.

Her symptoms included generalised edema (body swelling), low platelet count (1300 as against the normal two to three lakh) and prolonged coagulation. “She came in a critical stage,” the doctor said.

Monisha was treated with intravenous fluids and put on ventilator as her condition worsened. She was also administered four units of blood platelets and plasma before she succumbed to the illness.

Dr Maiya said that in the last month there have been a couple of cases of dengue in children every week.

Monisha’s maternal grandfather Veere Gowda said the child had stopped speaking to everyone after the tragedy that befell her and her parents. “She was a very nice and obedient girl. We will all miss her.”