Cristina is a 17-month-old girl from Guatemala, but she is only the size of a healthy nine-month-old. Her family cannot afford to give her a healthy diet, so she is not growing well or hitting her developmental milestones. For example, she cannot sit on her own.
Cristina has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, she began malnutrition treatment on November 8, 2016.
Cristina lives with her family in an adobe house. She was adopted by her biological aunt and uncle. Her uncle works as a tailor, and her aunt takes care of the household.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Cristina recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Cristina a chance to grow healthy and strong.
“We are so excited to have a little girl,” says Cristina’s aunt. “We want to give her the best. She came to us like a light, and we want her to be a good person when she grows up.”
