Yenifer is 7 months old and is suffering from acute malnutrition. Acute malnutrition can be deadly, and puts a lot of strain on the family—often times the mom will eat less in order to feed her children, leaving her without enough food and stressed out. Her mom did not realize her daughter had malnutrition until our medical team visited their home. The combination of insufficient calorie intake and frequent bouts of diarrhea can lead to extreme dehydration in the children, a weakened immune system, and death. The long-term effects of acute malnutrition can be devastating as well for the child. Many suffer from a decreased ability to learn and succeed in school, and an increased susceptibility to chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. This cycle of malnutrition is likely to continue if Yenifer’s parents decide to have more children, which could also worsen her own case. Currently, she is having trouble reaching some developmental milestones— she has not been able to sit up yet.
Yenifer lives in an adobe house with a tin roof with her parents and older sibling. She is a happy child, and loves to play with the one toy she has— a rattle. Her favorite food is oranges. Yenifer’s father is a day laborer doing odd jobs in the fields and in construction. Her mother works at home, tending to the house, taking care of Yenifer and her sibling. Although her parents work hard, they still struggle to make enough money to support their small family and supply Yenifer with a varied diet and sufficient protein—right now her parents don’t have the money to give her eggs, vegetables, or fruit she needs everyday so she can grow properly.
This treatment will supply Yenifer with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. This treatment will strengthen her immune system and increase her overall caloric intake. Her mom will receive intense nutrition education to ensure that Yenifer has a nutritious diet to help her grow and develop. This will help her start to develop better both physically and mentally. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Yenifer the chance to live a healthy and productive life.
