Age: 9 months
Birthday: January 12
Date Admitted: October 7, 2011
Weight at time of admittance: 8.5 Lbs.
Referred by: National Hospital in Escuintla
About Alan: Alan is a cheerful baby boy from Escuintla (a large, very poor, costal city). He and his twin sister were brought to the national hospital there for several different infections. Alan was also severely malnourished and was referred to Casa Jackson for rehabilitation. Alan exhibits some “red flags” for a neuromuscular disorder. He is very weak—as many of our patients are—but also exhibits a “floppiness” and difficulty controlling his muscles that is cause for concern. His fontanel (the soft spot on his head) is open more than normal for his age, and he has difficulty focusing on the toys and faces around him. Our therapist is working closely with Alan. We are also working to arrange visits to a vision specialist and, if he continues to show delays in his development, a doctor able to determine if his poor strength and difficulty controlling his muscles are due solely to malnutrition or an underlying issue.
UPDATE: Alan was discharged November 24, 2011 at a healthy weight of 17.1 lbs.
