Doctor who treated children released from Gaza last night says they’re in good health
Renee Ghert-Zand is the health reporter and a feature writer for The Times of Israel.
Schneider Children’s Medical Center director Dr. Efrat Bron Harlev tells Channel 12 news that the four children released from Hamas captivity last night are in reasonably good health.
Without violating medical confidentiality, Harlev shares that Ohad Munder, 9, Emilia Aloni, 5, Raz Katz Asher, 4, and Aviv Katz Asher, 2, did not sustain eyesight damage from presumably being underground for weeks. She said that all the children lost weight, as would have been expected during their ordeal.
The Health Ministry and Welfare Ministry provided the hospitals with protocols to follow regarding medical and psycho-social treatment of the hostages upon arrival. The protocols included strict instructions on how to avoid Refeeding Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition resulting from overfeeding or rehydrating an undernourished person too quickly.
Munder was shown on the news being visited by a group of his friends and enjoying an ice cream cone with them.
Harlev said that the children, along with their mothers and grandmothers, would remain in the hospital for several more days until they feel better and have adjusted to being home in Israel. Before the former hostages are discharged, the hospital’s medical and psycho-social staff will coordinate ongoing care for them through their health maintenance organizations.