Ranelyn, who was previously healthy and enjoyed wearing dresses and began to lose a lot of weight, according to "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho." Her ribs began to protrude from her chest, and her cheekbones caved in.
Ranelyn's weight decreased to seven kilograms, about the same as a seven-month-old baby, according to her family. She used to be an active youngster, but since losing weight, she couldn't do anything but lie down on the floor.
"When she was still healthy, she loved wearing dresses and shorts. Now, she doesn’t want to dress up because she’s getting thinner. She’s ashamed." the mother said.
Worse, Ranelyn lost her appetite and had pain swallowing because of mouth sores. "Sometimes, when I get back home, she's excited to see me. Now, she's different and she's always crying. She doesn't laugh anymore. It really breaks my heart. I can't accept that this is what happened to my child. This is so unlike her. It was so sudden." Father said.
Her mother blamed herself. "I wish I were in her place. I blame myself. I could only pray to God, 'please don't take her because I still want to be with her."
It didn't help that her parents were both out of work due to the pandemic. When the epidemic struck, her father, who used to work in construction, lost his job.
According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the epidemic caused two out of ten youngsters to lose weight. One of the explanations given was the country's rising unemployment rate.
According to the National Nutrition Council, hunger in the Philippines has worsened, with 13.6 percent of the population, or 3.4 million families, suffering.
Despite the fact that the family was afflicted by the pandemic, Ranelyn's parents claim that their daughter began to lose weight prior to the outbreak. Her parents had to sell household belongings like their television and cell phone in order to have their daughter tested. Her ailment, according to the local doctor, would be best handled in a larger facility.
Ranelyn was visited by members of the Rural Health Unit and MSWD, who presented her with a folding bed and pillow. To assist, the KMJS team transported Ranelyn to a larger medical institution.
Ranelyn had to drive six hours to reach a hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, where the hospital kindly offered to pay for her initial confinement and medications. Her pediatrician diagnosed her with intestinal parasitism after an examination.
"She has intestinal parasitism. Based on her history, the reason behind her malnutrition is an infection. She has worms in her stomach. This is why she has chronic malnutrition. She's severely stunted and severely wasted." She said.
According to the doctor, the child must go through a lengthy recovery procedure before resuming her usual health. Ranelyn's parents sought public assistance and support because they wanted the best for their child.
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