Kunal, youngest survivor of cough syrup tragedy so far, returns home after 114 days

Nagpur: Exactly 114 days after he was rushed to Nagpur with renal failure triggered by suspected cough syrup toxicity and subsequently slipping into a deep coma, five-year-old Kunal Yaduwanshi, from Parasia of Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh, made a miraculous recovery and returned home on Monday afternoon. So far, Kunal is the youngest survivor of the tragedy in which a contaminated batch of Coldrif cough syrup found containing industrial-grade chemical diethylene glycol claimed 24 children aged five years and below.Kunal began speaking again and regained body movements, bringing long-awaited joy to his distressed parents, who took turns day and night standing by his bedside, never giving up hope and placing unwavering faith in the doctors at AIIMS-Nagpur. His father lost job after being away for months to remain at his son's side, while his mother endured the pain of staying separated from their elder daughter throughout the prolonged treatment.The family exhausted all its savings, spending over Rs6 lakh in private hospitals before shifting to govt-run facilities. For now, however, those sacrifices and hardships have been set aside, as the family chose to celebrate the moment and thank god for granting their child a fate different from that of the other 24 families affected by the tragedy.Kunal suffered severe kidney and brain damage and remained in coma for nearly three months. His survival and discharge are being described by doctors as extraordinary, as no other child in this age group has recovered from the toxic exposure. Another affected child, 3.5-year-old Harsh Yaduwanshi from Betul district, continues to remain critical, said doctors.Kunal was referred to AIIMS Nagpur on September 11 and admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in an extremely critical condition. He was in a deep coma with acute kidney failure, severe hypotension, multi-organ dysfunction, and almost absent brainstem reflexes. Doctors immediately placed him on mechanical ventilation and initiated emergency dialysis within hours of admission.The case was managed under Dr Meenakshi Girish from the department of paediatrics, with intensive critical care support led by Dr Abhijeet Chaudhary, PICU in-charge, along with Dr Abhishek Madhura and the entire paediatric team. A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach involving paediatric intensivists, neurologists, nephrologists, ophthalmologists, nursing staff, and rehabilitation specialists was followed throughout the prolonged treatment.Despite an extremely poor initial prognosis, doctors continued sustained life-support measures. Over time, gradual neurological improvement was observed. During the course of treatment, the child developed severe septicaemia with shock, requiring advanced cardiac support, multiple blood transfusions, prolonged antibiotic therapy, and a tracheostomy for long-term ventilatory assistance. After nearly three months of continuous intensive care, Kunal was successfully weaned off ventilatory support and shifted to a high-dependency unit. With nutritional support, physical therapy, and neurological rehabilitation, he slowly regained speech, responsiveness, and meaningful interaction with his parents and caregivers. Doctors later detected optic nerve damage resulting in severe visual impairment (blindness). Following ophthalmological intervention and immunosuppressive therapy, the child has shown partial visual recovery with perception of light. He is now clinically stable and hence discharged, doctors said. AIIMS Nagpur medical superintendent Dr Nilesh Nagdeve and joint medical superintendent Dr Nitin Marathe ensured uninterrupted availability of critical care resources, dialysis, blood products, and logistical support throughout the treatment. Importantly, AIIMS Nagpur waived off all treatment costs. Executive director Dr Prashant P Joshi said the case reflected the institution's commitment to saving every life. The parents expressed deep gratitude to the doctors and staff for giving their child a second chance at life.