Dubai: 13-year-old student dies after collapsing at home

He was studying at home when he suddenly fell unconscious, according to a social worker

Nasreen Abdulla

Published: Sat 9 Dec 2023, 5:02 PM

Last updated: Sun 10 Dec 2023, 7:36 PM

An Indian teenager died on Friday afternoon after being hospitalised for a medical complication, sending shockwaves across the community. The 13-year-old student was rushed to the hospital after collapsing at home on Wednesday.

“He was studying at home when he suddenly collapsed,” said social worker Naseer Vatanappally, speaking to Khaleej Times.

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“After rushing him to the hospital, doctors found that he had suffered from a brain haemorrhage. He was put on ventilator, but he didn’t recover.”

The Grade 8 student was a very active young boy, according to Naseer. “The family said that he used to play football and learnt karate,” he said. “He was very social and had a lot of friends in school. His family is distraught. I pray that they have the strength to get through this difficult time.”

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He is survived by his parents and a younger sister. After formalities, the boy’s body will be flown to the family’s hometown in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

“Rare occurrence”

According to experts, such instances are very uncommon among young children. “A brain haemorrhage in children usually occurs due to abnormalities of blood vessels,” said Dr Jamaluddeen Abu Backer from Metro Medical Centre. “However, this is extremely rare in children. Parents should watch out for warning signs like sudden severe headache, vomiting, sleepiness, weakness of one side of the body.”

A brain haemorrhage or intracerebral haemorrhage is caused by bleeding into the brain. In adults, the most common cause of this is high blood pressure. Treatment options depend on the nature of the haemorrhage and sometimes require surgical intervention.

Dr. Atul Rane, Specialist Paediatrician, from Aster Clinic Bur Dubai also agreed that such occurrences are not very common. “Instances of brain haemorrhage among young individuals are relatively rare,” he said.

He advised parents to watch out for signs especially if they persist for many days. “Headaches lasting more than 5 or 7 days, suggest an underlying issue, possibly related to blood clotting disorders or other undiagnosed conditions,” he said. “These warning signs, when present, should prompt further investigation to diagnose any underlying conditions accurately.”

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