AIIMS Nagpur saves 5-Year-Old after suspected toxic cough syrup poisoning

AIIMS Nagpur Saves 5-Year-Old After Suspected Toxic Cough Syrup Triggers Kidney Failure, Revives Debate on Medicine Safety

Nagpur, December 23, 2025:

In a case that has reignited concerns over the safety of cough syrups for children, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, have successfully saved the life of a five-year-old child from Madhya Pradesh who was admitted in a deep coma with acute kidney and respiratory failure following suspected consumption of a toxic cough syrup.

The child, a resident of Chhindwara district, was referred to AIIMS Nagpur on September 11, 2025, in an extremely critical condition. According to hospital officials, the child was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a state of deep coma, severe hypotension, multi-organ dysfunction and near-absent brainstem reflexes. He was immediately placed on mechanical ventilation and underwent emergency dialysis within hours of admission.

Doctors said the clinical presentation strongly resembled cases of poisoning linked to contaminated cough syrups, which have been at the centre of major global and domestic controversy in recent years. Several child deaths abroad had earlier been traced to cough syrups containing toxic industrial chemicals such as diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), substances known to cause sudden kidney failure, metabolic acidosis, brain damage and respiratory collapse in children.

Given the similarity of symptoms, the AIIMS Nagpur team described the case as a “suspected toxic cough syrup–induced” illness, pending regulatory and laboratory investigations. Hospitals typically use cautious language in such cases, as final confirmation depends on chemical analysis by drug control authorities.

The child’s treatment was led by Dr. Meenakshi Girish from the Department of Pediatrics, with intensive critical care support under Dr. Abhijeet Chaudhary, PICU In-charge, along with Dr. Abhishek Madhura and a dedicated pediatrics team. A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach involving pediatric intensivists, neurologists, nephrologists, ophthalmologists, nursing staff and rehabilitation specialists was followed throughout the prolonged treatment period.

Despite an extremely poor initial prognosis, the medical team continued full life-support measures. Gradual neurological recovery was observed over time. During the hospital stay, the child developed severe septicemia with shock, requiring advanced cardiac support, multiple blood transfusions, prolonged antibiotic therapy and a tracheostomy for long-term ventilatory support.

After nearly three months of continuous intensive care, the child was successfully weaned off ventilatory support and shifted to a high-dependency unit. With sustained nutritional, physical and neurological rehabilitation, he gradually regained speech, responsiveness and meaningful interaction with parents and doctors.

However, vision assessment revealed optic nerve damage resulting in severe visual impairment. Following timely ophthalmological intervention and immunosuppressive therapy, the child showed partial recovery, with perception of light restored. He is now clinically stable and is planned for discharge after more than three months of hospitalization.

Hospital authorities said the case was fully supported at the administrative level by Medical Superintendent Dr. Nilesh Nagdeve and Joint Medical Superintendent Dr. Nitin Marathe, who ensured uninterrupted availability of dialysis support, blood products, critical care resources and logistics throughout the prolonged treatment. Importantly, all treatment costs were completely waived by AIIMS Nagpur, reflecting the institute’s commitment to equitable and compassionate healthcare.

Commenting on the case, AIIMS Nagpur Executive Director Dr. Prashant P. Joshi said the decision to continue intensive care despite a bleak initial outlook reflected the institution’s core values. “This case demonstrates the extraordinary commitment and perseverance of our pediatric and critical care teams. At AIIMS, every life matters,” he said.

The parents of the child expressed profound gratitude to the doctors and hospital staff for giving their child a second chance at life.

Beyond being a remarkable medical success, the case has once again drawn attention to the dangers of unregulated or inappropriate use of cough syrups in children. Health experts continue to caution parents against self-medication and stress the need for strict regulatory oversight to prevent tragedies linked to contaminated medicines.