Long recovery for little burn victim

A Toti family requests help with their two-year-old daughter’s medical bills after she was scalded with hot water in April.

“Willow pulled at the cord of our kettle that had just boiled and the water fell over the right side of her face and body,” said her mother, Lorna Malan.

She sustained first, second and third degree burns – her face, ear and arm being the worst.

“We struggled to keep Willow’s head bandages on and feed water to her feeding tubes that helped keep the antibiotic to her wounds moist.

During this time we found that she had not only suffered severe physical pain, but also emotional trauma that is still present a month-and-a-half later.”

Willow went into theatre for the first time on 29 April for an artificial skin graft, which was performed on her face and arm. A week later on 6 May she went in for debridement of her bandages, but while in theatre,

the surgeon noticed a deformality on the top rim of her ear. The water had penetrated both her epidermal and dermal layers, leaving her ear cartilage at risk of sepsis.

Willows was operated on again and another artificial skin graft was done.

“The right side of her head was shaved and bandaged for a second time while we waited for the graft to take.

In the third week the bandages and antibiotic finally came off her ear, revealing that she had begun to form over-granulation of the skin. We then had to apply ointment three times a day for this to recover.”

Last Friday Willow saw her surgeon again where he delivered good and bad news – he is happy with her healing, but said she definitely needs scar treatment due to the extent of her injuries.

She stands a risk of raised skin and deeper pigmentation, which then needs to be injected, but he hopes the treatment he has advised will prevent this.

“The surgeon has referred us to an occupational therapist who will design a pressure garment as well as face mask which will hold silicone sheets in place to help heal her scars. She has to wear this for a number of hours each day, over a year. This treatment is costly and not covered by our medical aid.

It has been the most traumatic time our family has ever experienced and watching our child go through what she went through was painful. It is devastating to witness what hot water is capable of doing.

I urge all parents to keep a close watch on their little ones – I don’t think one can ever be too paranoid.”

If you can help assist the family with her medical bills, Willow has her own account which is solely used for medical purposes. Her banking details are: Miss Willow Malan, Nedbank, account type: Current/cheque, account number: 1105261468, branch code: 130627.

Her progress can be tracked on her Facebook page ‘Prayers for Princess Willow’.