An Amritsar-based 16 month old kid weighing 4st faces great health risks as her growing weight puts unbearable pressure on her limbs. Chahat Kumar lives with a rare medical condition that keeps her perpetually hungry. Born weighing less than 7lb, her parents used to feed her portions of chapati and vegetable curry suitable for a ten-year-old to satisfy her constant demands for food. However, now, they have put her on a diet of three meals a day consisting of a chapati and a bowl of lentil soup.
Her father, Suraj, said, “She is so fat she cannot stand for more than 20 seconds. We cannot take her anywhere. Her mother has to be home always. It is impossible to walk with her even for a few metres. We have to borrow a motorcycle to take her to hospitals.” The toddler started gaining weight rapidly at four months. Alarm bells rang for Suraj and wife Reena, 22, when their child hit 2st 5lb at six months. “We took her to several local doctors who couldn't understand why she was fat. Although they all concluded she was unusual,” Suraj said.
Her story made it to the local press and the state government offered her free treatment at a medical institute in Chandigarh. Chahat was diagnosed with leptin deficiency disease, a type of condition that restricts the brain signals that give the feeling of being full. While it can be treated with hormones, doctors are unable to obtain them and are trying to find a supplier from abroad.
