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12-year-old Łucja had an accident while playing in the garden. The stone carving smashed her head open, causing her lungs to bruise. Had it not been for her XNUMX-year-old brother, the girl would have died on the way to the hospital. Thanks to the doctors of the “Alarm Clock” Clinic founded by Ewa Błaszczyk, Łucja will wake up. Edyta Brzozowska asks Dr. Maciej Piróg, director of the “Alarm Clock” Clinic.
- Waking a patient up is a procedure. It never happens the way it is shown in movies: that the child opens his eyes and says: “mama”
- Doctors are convinced that Łucja will leave the “Alarm Clock” Clinic on her own: not in a wheelchair and not on crutches. He will do it on his own
- Lucia gave her mother various things to understand: she shook her head, grimaced, and moved her eyeballs. In this way, she signaled whether she liked something or not
- Without the “Alarm Clock”, children would be condemned to a longer or shorter vegetative state. They would become “plants”
Edyta Brzozowska: Three months ago, at the turn of July and August, 7-year-old Łucja was admitted to the “Alarm Clock” Clinic. She was in a coma. What happened to her?
Dr. Maciej Piróg, director of the “Alarm Clock” Clinic: While playing in the garden, a huge garden sculpture fell on her. She smashed her head and strangled her so unfortunately that the girl had bruised lungs. She passed out and stopped breathing. A 12-year-old brother saved her life. Due to the fact that he used artificial respiration, Łucja did not die on her way to the intensive care unit.
The girl was in serious condition.
This is determined on the basis of the “Glasgow Scale”. It enables the assessment of the condition of patients after head injuries. Patients are then monitored and the neurological reactions of various senses and the state of consciousness are examined. “0” is the lowest step of the scale, full – “20”. Lucia was more or less in the middle, her condition was set to “8”. There is practically no contact with such a patient. Although the girl was in relatively good condition when compared to other children who come to us.
Her condition was slowly improving?
At first she could not see, and with time her vision functions returned. In addition, she began to be in touch with the environment. And when she was in a good mood, she wanted to talk to us.
A sick man in a coma says?
“He says” – that is, he reacts. Lucia gave her mother various things to understand: she shook her head, grimaced, and moved her eyeballs. In this way, she signaled whether she liked something or not. For several days now, the girl has been trying to communicate verbally with her mother.
How will little Lucy wake up?
Waking a patient up is a procedure. It never happens the way it is shown in movies: that the child opens his eyes and says: “mama”. Awakening consists of a whole cycle of events, and the formalities are completed by a protocol signed by therapists, doctors and other specialists who worked with Lucia.
What exactly is awakening?
This is determined by the various medical parameters of the patient. Then there is a gradual pharmacological silencing, previously adjusted to the condition of the brain after the injury.
Can doctors predict how Lucia will be in contact with her surroundings when she wakes up?
It is predictable to a large extent. Of course, this is a process preceded by EEG tests and imaging diagnostics. In the case of Łucja, we have been convinced for several days that when everything goes well, she will leave us on her own: not in a wheelchair, not on crutches. He will do it on his own. Of course, it will require a long physical and mental rehabilitation. The first year of intense exercise will be the most important. Parents are with their children in “Alarm Clock” in order to learn from rehabilitators how to deal with the child at home.
Łucja will go back to school?
I hope. Many of our children return to normal education. Some have to attend classes in integrated schools with a special program. Unfortunately, there are also some patients who will never return to school. The changes in their brains were too severe, irreversible. They will not be fully functional again.
The girl is already the 50th child who will wake up in the “Alarm Clock”.
We have 15 places. Little patients stay with us for a year, sometimes the stay is extended to 15 months. Doctors decide about it, and the National Health Fund will agree to a longer treatment. Inevitably, the rotation of children is small, but half of them woke up. Without the “Alarm Clock”, these children would be condemned to a longer or shorter vegetative state. They would become “plants”. Each awakened child who regains consciousness is a great success for us.
Dr Maciej Piróg – doctor of medical sciences, has a first degree specialization in paediatrics and a second degree specialization in the organization of health care and public health. From 2002 to 2012, he managed the Institute of Children’s Healthcare in Warsaw. Currently, he is the director of the “Alarm Clock” Clinic