Tion L., 3

Tion is the only child of a single mother who separated from his father while he was still an infant. He lives with his mother in a single-room semi-permanent house. His mother relies on casual jobs and other menial work to support the family and meet their daily needs. One Friday morning, Tion woke up unusually weak and tired. He complained of feeling unwell and later developed stomach pains. Due to financial constraints, his mother was unable to seek immediate medical care and instead prepared herbal remedies in the hope that his condition would improve. Unfortunately, his symptoms worsened over the next few days. He developed a high fever, became increasingly weak, lost interest in food and play, and spent most of his time lying down. By Monday night, his condition had become critical. His body was extremely hot, and he suddenly developed convulsions. During the episode, he became unresponsive, his body stiffened, and his frightened mother feared for his life. Her screams for help attracted neighbors, who rushed to assist. Tion was immediately taken to a nearby health facility, where he received emergency stabilization before being referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital.

A 3-year-old diagnosed with severe malaria accompanied by convulsions has a guarded but potentially favorable prognosis if prompt treatment is provided. Convulsions indicate possible cerebral involvement, which is a life-threatening complication of severe malaria and can lead to brain injury, coma, neurological deficits, or death if not urgently managed. However, with timely administration of intravenous antimalarial medication, seizure control, supportive care, and close monitoring, many children recover fully