Parents of Leptin-deficient kid seek for help

Vijayawada: A 22-month-old Chahat suffering from Leptin deficiency from Amritsar, Punjab was admitted to Endocare Hospital for treatment. The baby needs financial support of Rs 4 lakh for a life saving bariatric, informed bariatric surgeon K Ravikanth.

Addressing the media persons, Dr Ravikanth said that Chahat was the heaviest baby across the world weighing about 30 kg at less than two years of age. He said that the parents of the Chahat brought her for treatment to the hospital after watching a You-Tube video on bariatric surgery which was successfully performed on Ali Parveen from Jharkhand and Bala Bheem from Ananthapur for weight reduction at the hospital.

He said that Chahat was brought to the hospital from Amritsar a month back. Tests were performed and treatment was given for weight reduction but due to Leptin and Ghrelin deficiency the baby gained 300 grams weight in a month. After one month treatment, the doctors were left with no option, other than to perform bariatric surgery which would cost about Rs 4 lakh, he added.

On behalf of the poor parents of the baby, he requested monetary help for the surgery. By performing the surgery the life span of the baby will be extended, said Dr Ravikanth, and added that the medicine for Leptin deficiency was still in research stage in the US and the medicine would be available in a couple of years.

Suraj Kumar, father (cable mechanic) and Renu Kumari, mother of Chahat said that three years back they had a baby boy who died of overweight in three months. The parents requested for financial aid for the operation of their baby.