UPDATE: Boy who collapsed suffered brain damage
Boy, 6, who collapsed while playing on a slippery slide, was miraculously resuscitated but was left with brain damage.
On New Year’s Day, Christo (CJ) Kotze, 6, from Randgate collapsed and was declared dead on arrival at a Kempton Park hospital. Although he was miraculously resuscitated and spent a week in ICU, he now faces the additional challenge of brain damage.
The Herald was informed that CJ suffers from a condition which entails that when he gets too excited, his heart palpitates uncontrollably. That day CJ collapsed while playing on a slippery slide with other children at the family gathering in Kempton Park. When he stopped breathing his dad tried to resuscitate him. They could also not find a pulse. His parents then rushed him to a private hospital in the area where he was declared dead on arrival. Doctors worked hard to resuscitate him, applying electric shocks to his heart (defibrillation). Eventually a faint heartbeat was detected.
On Friday, 6 January, the Herald spoke to his mother, Charlene Kotze, 26, where she and Christo’s father, Jan Kotze, 29 are constantly at his side in hospital.
Charlene told the Herald there has not been much response from CJ. An MRI scan performed on him sadly revealed a certain amount of brain damage. However, it is not yet possible to determine the severity of the damage due to CJ’s lack of response.
Charlene said, “He only opens his eyes once in a while”.
On Monday morning (9 January), the Herald again spoke to Charlene who confirmed CJ was no longer in ICU. “He is doing better, he is moving a bit more but his body keeps pulling to the left. The doctor also told us that he may not be able to see again.”
A neurologist will now be attending to CJ. The physiotherapist who wanted to treat him, said there is still too little movement to be able to help him. CJ will need heart surgery at some stage in the future, but neither time nor finances are on his side.
The family and the Child Medi Organisation are calling on the community for donations to help to pay his medical bills. Donations can be deposited directly into Child Medi’s bank account. The account number can be found on their Facebook page Child Medi Organisation or on their website at www.childmedi.org.
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