Child Brings a Storm After Covid Recovery: A Dramatic MIS-C Battle
After a full recovery from Covid-19 in September, four‑year‑old Ali Zafir Mohamed Azmi seemed ready to bounce back into ordinary life. That was until the night of Oct 29, when a sudden fever and chills hit the little boy like an unexpected thunderstorm.
From Playful to Puzzling: The Ticking Clock of Symptoms
- Oct 29: Fever spiked, chills rolled in.
- Oct 31: Began vomiting; parents grew frantic.
- Nov 1: Taken to KK Women & Children’s Hospital (KKH).
Within a single day, Ali’s case marched from a general ward to a high‑dependency area, and then the ICU—complete with intubation. It was a whirlwind that left his parents holding their breath as they watched their son fight a battle no one expected.
Unmasking the Mysterious MIS‑C
The doctors pinpointed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS‑C)—a rare and nasty condition linked to recent Covid‑19 infections. According to the Ministry of Health, only four out of roughly 8,000 paediatric Covid cases developed MIS‑C.
With no clear cause, pediatric specialist Liew Woei Kang explains the likely trigger:
“It’s almost always a post‑infectious immune response.”
Life Before the Storm
Ali had done well after his home‑based recovery from Sept 24 to Oct 6, even resuming school on Oct 18. He was back to his usual vibrant self, sprinkling life with his favorite game, Call of Duty, alongside his siblings.
The Edge of Panic
When the fever arrived in the evening, his mother, Ms Marilyn Cacanindin, quickly ran an antigen rapid test. It came back negative, but her instinct was clear: she’d keep the city at bay, letting Ali rest. Stepping back into her role as a fast‑food manager, and later letting her husband—a Marina Bay Sands technician—pick up the slack, she fought her own racing thoughts while hoping for the fog of sickness to lift.
A Family’s Resilience
Marilyn and her husband Mr Mohamed Azmi Lendang pull double duty, juggling careers and a household of four kids (aged one to nine) and a domestic helper in Kaki Bukit. Their story isn’t just about a single child, but a family’s determination to keep marching on in the face of chaos.
Through the storm that was MIS‑C, this little boy of four proved that the human spirit, while fragile, can also be stubbornly resilient. When the fever finally passed, it was a relief that felt just as sweet as unwrapping a long‑awaited surprise.
A Family’s Battle With COVID‑19: From ICU to Hope
Ms Marilyn, a McDonald’s manager, and her husband, Mr Mohamed Azmi Lendang, an audio‑visual tech at Marina Bay Sands, found themselves in the thick of a harrowing fight against the coronavirus. When their little boy, Ali Zafir, turned up with a classic fever, they weren’t quite sure what’s going on – or at least that was the first assumption.
What Started as a Cold Became a Crisis
“We thought he was just reacting to a normal fever,” Marilyn told the Straits Times. “So, we let him rest and gave him some ibuprofen we had at home.”
Ali’s symptoms didn’t wane. By the 31st of October, vomiting started to sneak in. Mrs Marilyn rushed him to KKH. The next day he was on a chain of 12 meds, intubated, and stuck on a ventilator until the 7th of November.
“When it was time to intubate, he kept crying and shouting for me – he didn’t want to let me go, but I had to,” she confided. “Both my husband and I were worried about his tiny body enduring so much pain and needles.”
Slow but Steady Progress
- Ali is still in the ICU but has shown remarkable improvement after the ventilator was removed.
- He can now raise his arms and sit up with the gentle help of nurses and physiotherapists, though standing up remains a goal away.
- His tear‑filled eyes, once too much for the comfort team, are now softened by the nurses’ regular encouragement.
The Family’s COVID‑19 Story
Ali was first given a COVID‑19 positive test on September 24 – two days after Marilyn’s father, who is fully vaccinated, tested positive as well. The household soon followed suit: the parents and their two elder children (an eight‑year‑old son and a nine‑year‑old daughter) all tested positive but recovered quickly with no major complications.
Both the youngest child, a one‑year‑old, and the domestic helper remained untouched.
A Call for Vigilance
Marilyn’s experience has propelled her to share how parents should keep a keen eye on potential MIS‑C symptoms in children who’ve recovered from COVID‑19. She posted about her ordeal on Facebook, and the post has already gathered over 400 likes – a testament to how many are paying attention.
Gratitude and Recognition
“I salute all the doctors and nurses. They love Ali and truly take care of him. The nurses understand how painful it is for him and talk nicely to him before giving him his medicine,” Marilyn whispered with gratitude.
She also thanked her boss for granting her time off and the preschool principal for providing extra ART kits when their supply ran low.
“Ali was so sad at missing his sisters’ birthday,” Marilyn mentioned. “Both of his siblings share the same birthday on November 3 – it was a bittersweet moment.”
Hope on the Horizon
Although still recovering, Ali’s spirit remains unbroken, and Marilyn’s story is a gentle reminder: stay alert, stay hopeful, and let kindness be the curative force in those tough moments. The family’s journey is a touching poem of love, courage, and community that continues to inspire.
