The Pediatric Infectious Disease Ward

1 Febrero 2012

I was in the inpatient wards today for pediatric infectious disease.  The ward itself is about 16 beds.  The upper part of each wall is entirely window, so from the work room you can actually see through into all the patient rooms which is just brilliant.  Rounds and presentations are similar to the US.  We rounded with four residents and one nurse.  Instead of COWS (computers on wheels) like at OHSU, there’s a typewriter on a cart, which does the job fine.   Hygiene is also different.  While OHSU has instant hand sanitizers outside and inside every room, here in the ward there’s a sink in the work room.  I’m glad I had a little bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket.  Interestingly… the child with TB was in an ordinary room like everyone else.  She’s a 13 yo whose story sadly is not unusual here in La Paz.  Mom died (of TB), dad left, 5 brothers and sisters live with an aunt who has no job, the oldest sister at age 20 works as a cook and provides all the income for the household. 

Other cases—a 2 yo girl with a dog bite (dogs roam around freely all over La Paz and frequently carry rabies), an 8 yo with dental abscess (many Bolivians suffer from dental problems and oral infections), and—a first for me—Leishmaniasis (cutaneous)!  A 7 yo boy had it, right behind the ear.  Started 3 months ago so by the time I saw it it was mainly just crusty, scaly, with a small maybe 1 cm dry healing ulcer (see pic). 

Language classes are going well.  I have 2 hours of class a day, and I’m the ONLY student!   Next week another CFHI student will join me though so it’ll diffuse the spotlight a little haha.  I feel like my Spanish is rapidly improving.