Even though Marlin is almost 6 months old, she is the size of an average three-month-old. This is because she is suffering from malnutrition, which prevents her from growing and developing normally. In addition to stunted growth, her immune system is weak from the lack of protein, calories, and nutrients in her diet, making a normal cold or cough much more dangerous for her than a healthy child. If left untreated, the effects of malnutrition could could stick with her for the rest of her life–such as increased risk of chronic diseases, low IQ, and a higher likelihood of dropping out of school.
Marlin lives with her parents and two older siblings in a one-room house made of wood with a tin roof in Guatemala. Her mother works taking care of Marlin and her siblings, cooking, and cleaning. Her father works as a day laborer, only making a couple dollars per day. Although they want the best for her, they cannot afford to give her even one piece of fruit, vegetable, or egg per day–making it impossible for her to overcome her malnutrition without treatment.
Growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation will help Marlin recover from malnutrition. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. Her immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further increase her appetite and help her use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent bouts of diarrhea.
Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give Marlin the diet she needs to grow and develop healthily, even with their limited resources. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Marlin the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made her sick in the first place.
