Mumbai: Shreejit Hingankar of Pune is just 10 months old. But he weighs 17 kg. Doctors say he suffers from Leptin gene mutation deficiency, which causes obesity. Shreejit may have to undergo weight-loss surgery, if medications don't help. If he undergoes surgery, he will be the youngest patient in the world to do so.
His surgeon says that surgery is the only life-saving option. But before the surgery, he wants to try out all other possibilities. The baby will be brought to Mumbai in the next 15 days.
Shreejit's mother Rupali prays to god everyday that her baby's weight should come down. Fifteen days after delivery, Shreejit's weight saw a rapid increase. When he was 15 days old, he was weighing 3 kg. Every month his weight increases.
Because of this condition, Shreejit had delayed milestones, cannot sit on his own for a long time and also can't stand and walk even with support. Valgus is a condition in which a bone or joint is twisted outward from the centre of the body. He also suffers from breathlessness.
The boy consumes food like an adult, and eats throughout the day.There is no history of morbid obesity in our family. My older son, Rushikesh, who is five years old, leads a normal life. The whole day Shreejit wants to eat something. If we don't give them food, he will start crying. We have shown him to many doctors. A dietician suggested visiting a bariatric surgeon,said Rupali. Her husband worked as a watchman on a temporary basis at a private medical college in Pimpri. The family cannot afford the medical treatment. The cost of the surgery varies from Rs 3-6 lakh.
Dr Shashank Shah, former president of the Obesity Surgery Society of India (OBSSI) and bariatric surgeon, says: There was a case of a 11- month-old baby undergoing the surgery. No medication can help in such a condition.
We will involve all super speciality doctors, and only if they say there's no other option, we will perform sleeve gastrectomy surgery.
The family cannot afford the treatment. So, I have decided to take care of the baby's medical expenses, he said.
Shreejit was examined by paediatric endocrinologist Dr Waman Khadilkar, who is attached with Jahangir hospital, Pune. “I saw the baby, he suffers from a rare genetic disorder. In the 20 years of my career, this is the second case I am seeing. Currently, there is only one treatment which I suggest – to inject Leptin hormone, which might help. The surgery will be the last option.
Source : http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=82716&boxid=28655&ed_date=2015-9-20&ed_code=820009&ed_page=3
