Kyaw is a one-year-old boy from Thailand. He lives with his father, grandmother, uncle and brother in a village in Tak Province, Thailand. His father and uncle are day laborers while his grandmother is a homemaker. Kyaw’s 13-year-old brother also helps out with household chores.
In the middle of November 2020, Kyaw developed a fever, cough and difficulty breathing. His grandmother treated him with traditional medicine but Kyaw did not get better. His grandmother then took him to a clinic in the village, where he received oral medication for a week. Once he completed the medication, Kyaw still was not better. His grandmother then took him to another clinic where he received a blood test, fluid through an intravenous (IV) infusion, and oxygen. After the doctor checked his results, Kyaw was diagnosed with anemia and he was admitted. He received a blood transfusion, but Kyaw still did not get better. The medic then referred him to another hospital where he was also admitted and received tests and treatment. When Kyaw did not get better, the doctor referred him to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH).
After Kyaw arrived at MSH in an ambulance in early December, he was admitted. At the hospital, Kyaw received an x-ray, oxygen and antibiotics. After checking his x-ray result, the doctor diagnosed Kyaw with congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), where a mass forms during pregnancy in one of the lungs of the fetus. The doctor told Kyaw’s grandmother that Kyaw could have a mass or cyst in his right lung in addition to a build-up of fluid in that lung. The doctor then inserted a tube into his right lung which was connected to a bag to drain the fluid. After the procedure, the doctor told Kyaw’s grandmother that they would remove the tube when no more fluid would drain from his lungs. When Kyaw did not get better, the doctor referred him to Chiang Mai Hospital for further treatment.
Doctors want Kyaw to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. After a long journey and many treatments, this scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $693 to cover the cost of Kyaw’s CT scan and hospital care, scheduled for February 1st.
“I want to see him free from this suffering,” said Kyaw’s grandmother. “Once Kyaw recovers and is older, I will send him to school. I want him to become an educated person because I do not want him to work as a day labourer and work under the hot sun like his father.”