Gloria C., 2

Gloria Chepchumba is a one-year-old child living with her grandmother in a remote area. They reside in a modest two-room mud hut. The family relies on firewood from Mt. Elgon Forest for cooking and lighting, and they fetch water from a stream located about a 45-minute walk away. They share a pit latrine with neighbors and passersby. Gloria’s grandmother earns a small income by selling firewood at the nearby market, which helps them manage minimal daily meals. Gloria’s mother dropped out of school due to financial constraints and moved to the city to work as a house help, leaving the child under the sole care of her grandmother, with no additional support. Over time, Gloria began showing signs of stunted growth, poor weight gain, reduced appetite, and general body weakness. Due to lack of knowledge and delayed action, her condition worsened. Fortunately, community health promoters discovered her situation and took her to a nearby health facility, where she was diagnosed with severe malnutrition (marasmus) and started on treatment.

Chepchumba was brought to the facility by her grandmother, who reported that the baby was experiencing weight loss, swelling, and a decreased appetite. Upon assessment, the baby was found to have significant weight loss, slow growth, and overall deteriorating health. The baby was started on nutritional supplements to restore lost nutrients and provided with a balanced diet to support recovery and improve overall health. After responding well to treatment and regaining stability, the baby was discharged in good condition.

If the condition could have not been treated and managed it could have been resulted to:increased susceptibility to infections, electrolyte imbalances, and even death