Flavia N., 1

Flavia is a one-year-old girl and the younger of two children. She lives with her mother, who is the family's sole breadwinner and earns less than KSh 1,900 per month from a small second-hand clothes business. The family rents a single-room house, shares a pit latrine with neighbouring households, and obtains drinking water from a community borehole. With such a limited income, meeting basic needs, including food and healthcare, is often difficult. Flavia had been well until two days before seeking care, when she developed a high fever, noticeable paleness, poor appetite, and episodes of convulsions associated with the fever. Her mother was deeply concerned but could not afford the cost of medical attention. She therefore sought advice from their Community Health Promoter, who linked her to a Helpster volunteer. The volunteer referred Flavia to Mechimeru Hospital, where she was promptly assessed and received the necessary medical care with financial support from Helpster Charity, relieving the family of the treatment costs.

Flavia was diagnosed with severe malaria complicated by moderate anaemia after presenting with high fever, paleness, poor feeding, and febrile convulsions. At one year of age, these conditions can deteriorate rapidly and require urgent antimalarial treatment, management of fever and convulsions, correction and monitoring of anaemia, hydration, and close observation. With timely and appropriate treatment, her prognosis is favourable, although careful follow-up is required to ensure complete recovery and improvement of her haemoglobin level.