If your child is feeling sleepy all the time and does not feel well, get him or her checked.
This was the advice offered by Naomi Pareti after her six-month-old daughter Makareta Pareti underwent surgery at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Nasese, Suva.
“Makareta was diagnosed with a VSD (ventricular septal defect) at birth,” she said.
“Upon discharge from MICU (Maternity Intensive Care Unit), oncologist Dr (Savenaca) Seduadua identified a heart murmur and after a lot of counselling and advice he suggested that we take her for an echocardiogram.
“Our public hospitals aren’t that well equipped so we brought her to Sai Prema just four days after she was born.”
Mrs Pareti said the ECG revealed Makareta had three holes in her heart.
“That was the reason she was always sleepy and she wasn’t feeding well.
“Makareta has also been on medication ever since she was four days old, right up to when she went in for surgery on February 27.
“We are very grateful that she was diagnosed and operated on early because it means the recovery period will be quick.”
Due to Makareta’s diagnosis, her other children were screened as well.
“It’s safe to say that they were all cleared and we’re glad that our little princess has a new lease on life now and this is all thanks to the Heart4Kids team from New Zealand and the Sai Prem Foundation for giving us Fijians a great facility.”
