Brandon is a 13-month-old boy from Guatemala. He has little appetite, and he falls ill often. He has not been getting the nutritious diet his body needs, and his mother is very worried.
Brandon has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means he has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. He is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, he began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016.
Brandon loves to play with his little toy car and eat squash. He lives with his older brother and his parents in a one-room adobe house. His father works as a day laborer, and his mother works in the house. Although both his parents work hard, they cannot afford this $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Brandon recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Brandon a chance to grow healthy and strong.
“I am ready to fight for my son,” says Brandon’s mother, “so that he has a better diet and can grow up and go to school to become a teacher.”