India, Oct. 7 -- For 27-year-old Shikha Devi from Thane, the last two weeks have been filled with fear and helplessness as she tried to save her 18-month-old son Priyanshu.

The toddler is now in a coma after allegedly being denied treatment at two major civic hospitals, then Wadia Hospital, and then forced into expensive private care.

Shikha and her three children moved to Thane from Uttar Pradesh after her husband died a few months ago, when she moved in with her sister in Thane. Her ordeal began when Priyanshu developed high fever in the second week of September. For nearly a week, the family gave him medicines at home and his condition seemed to improve. But, soon, he started vomiting continuously and began shutting his eyes.

Panick...