Little by Little- Tahanan

This is a report on the medical, health and social updates of the kids in Tahanan ng Pagmamahal for the months of March and April 2022.

Three (3) babies were confined in the emergency room in a hospital near the shelter. However, one of the babies turned out to be critically ill and experienced difficulty in breathing. This child was confined for one week in the Pediatric ICU since her oxygen dropped to critical levels (she was about to be intubated due to her pneumonia – a probable after effect of COVID). She was strictly monitored and underwent various tests: X-ray, 2D Echo, and gastric juice tests. All test results turned out normal. With all the medical intervention and the help of a referred Cardiologist and Infectious Disease Doctor, she fully recovered after two (2) weeks.

She is now healthy, socially and actively interacting with others. She now has her smile back on her face. Responding and communicating well with others when they converse with her; claps when she hears music and sings along when others are singing.

Five (5) other children experienced various COVID-like induced pneumonia symptoms such as: colds, cough and fever. But they too have all fully recovered and have all tested negative in the rapid antigen tests that were done not just on these children but on the staff and houseparents of Tahanan as well.

Thirty-one (31) children who did not get sick were given multivitamins and Vitamin C to boost their immune system. Children from five (5) to eleven (11) years of age were vaccinated against COVID-19.

The quick action and efficient coordination of the staff and house parents with medical health workers were the crucial keys in the recovery and complete healing of the children in the medical challenges that Tahanan faced these two (2) months.

To celebrate Easter Sunday, (April 17, 2022) Eighteen (18) children ages four (4) to eleven (11) years old happily and actively participated in the Easter Egg-hunting activity. This is a milestone for the kids of Tahanan ng Pagmamahal since this is the first social activity where the boys and girls interacted together after being separated due to the varying alert levels and lockdown protocols that were in effect since January 2022.

It is with heartfelt gratitude that we write this report - that your indefatigable support, enabled us to financially give the kids what they medically and nutritionally need. Thank you for your generosity and kindness. God bless you.

This update is for the educational and medical activities that have transpired from October to December of 2021.

This school year 2021-2022, a total of twenty (20) children are enrolled under the Modular Distance Learning Program of the Department of Education. They have acquired reading comprehension through the online program. They also have music and art activities like drawing, painting, dancing and singing Christmas carols. As of November however, only eighteen (18) kids remained.

We celebrated small victories of reunification and adoption. One (1) of the kids (a seven-year old girl) was reunited with her mom after six (6) years of separation and the other kid’s (a five-year old girl) adoption by her overseas adoptive parents has been finalized.

Crucial therapies have slowly been reintroduced in their schedules. Physical medical check-ups, ultrasound and laboratory tests such as hearing tests and eye-check ups were done in this quarter.

Flu vaccines were administered to Thirty (30) children. Ten (10) were given Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) - a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) disease; Pentavalent a vaccine that contains five antigens (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b);and MMR a vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles).

Medical cases that were observed and treated this quarter were: scabies; fever; nausea; tonsillitis; insect bites; hand, foot and mouth (HFMD) disease; a lip wound from an accident when two (2) kids were playing; and a confirmed hydrocele for inguinal exploration elective.

This holiday season we are very grateful that through your help, we are able to continue the children’s therapies, get the medical treatments and medicine they require and are still able to provide the care and protection these kids deserve.