Hospitalization Case Study Mary

Mary was delivered in a military hospital. There was no prenatal checkup done until eight months into gestation at a local health center. Her mother was not able to breastfeed and so Mary was given formula milk. At four months old Mary initially experienced occasional non-productive cough, no colds, fever or difficulty of breathing. One week prior to hospitalization, she went to a local health center and was prescribed, an antitussive oral suspension of 0.5ml Ambroxol, three times a day. Four days prior to hospitalization, Mary continued to present with non-productive cough and an undocumented fever. Her mother continued with the antitussive medication and gave her daughter an over the counter antipyretic, 0.5ml Paracetamol via medicine dropper which afforded temporary relief of symptoms. Three days prior to hospitalization, Mary was still experiencing
The arterial blood gas showed findings of respiratory alkalosis with metabolic acidosis. The excessive loss of carbon dioxide through hyperventilation and hypoxemia was an early stage of pulmonary problems such as pneumonia and asthma. The urinalysis showed findings of proteinuria and turbid transparency, which indicate internal inflammation and renal infection. The peripheral blood smear revealed normochromic erythrocytes with slight anisocytosis, which manifested as a form of anemia and an unequal size of her red blood cells. The blood culture and sensitivity read positive for growth of bacteria. The cranial ultrasound revealed an impression of mild hydrocephalus and was given an osmotic diuretic, Mannitol to decrease the pressure on the brain. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed a decrease in glucose and protein levels, which may indicate meningitis. Mary’s diagnoses were updated to Meningitis, Secondary to Upper Respiratory Tract Infection