Baby Falak still critical; next 48 hours crucial

Two-year-old baby Falak continued to remain critical on Wednesday with meningitis and brain fluid infection. Doctors have now inserted a pipe into Falak's spinal cord to drain out the water from her brain. Though her vitals are still strong, she remains on a ventilator. Doctors have said that the next 48 hours will be critical for her. Doctors will decide on Wednesday on a new set of antibiotic treatment, depending on her reaction to the antibiotics given so far. Her chances of survival have dipped considerably with the infection in her brain spread and she may also need a fourth surgery.

Doctors have said that there has not been any significant improvement in her condition. Falak has been battling for life at AIIMS after contracting meningitis, a potentially life threatening infection, even as police failed to track her parents or the man who handed her over to his teenaged girlfriend. Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

"Investigation reports of the fluid that had been taken out of her brain through a surgery has shown presence of infection in it. That is why her condition is still critical," Dr MC Misra, head of Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre where Falak is under observation, said on Tuesday.

"She has contracted meningitis. We are administering all antibiotic cover to fight the infection. If she responds well, we will immediately conduct another surgery of the brain and extract the remaining infectious fluid," he said.

Delhi Police is yet to make any headway in the case as it has still not traced Rajkumar alias Dilshad who gave the baby to his teenaged girlfriend.

"We are working towards catching Rajkumar as soon as possible. We are trying to find the parents of the baby," Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chhaya Sharma said on Tuesday.

Falak remains unconscious and she opens her eyes and makes limb movement only when doctors give her painful stimulus. "This is part of the treatment module to check her brain functioning time to time," Misra said.

She was admitted to AIIMS with severe injuries and is battling for life after a teenaged girl, who was looking after her, got her admitted.

Dr Misra said, "Next three to five days are crucial for her. Her deterioration is happening in terms of infection in the brain. If she responds positively there is hope for her recovery."