Eight-month-old Santiago Mendoza is only eight months old but he doesn't look like one because he already weighs 19.7 kg, the equivalent of a six-year old child, and while some people may see him as cute and cuddly, the boy is actually very sick and needs serious medical attention.
Santiago had already been hospitalized several times and suffers from complications because of his abnormal weight. If nothing is done about his condition, he'll likely face worse health problems as obese children have higher risks of developing bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.
Acknowledging the difficult situation of her son, Eunice Fandiño, Santiago's mother, sought help from Chubby Hearts foundation (Gorditos de Corazon). On Sunday, the child was flown from his home in Valledupar to Columbia's capital as the charity stepped in to help him with his condition.
Fandiño, who blamed her own "ignorance" as reason why her son gained so much weight, said she feeds her son everytime he cried which could explain why he grew so big for his age.
"He was born with an anxiety, so if he cried I just fed him," she said. Fandiño also revealed that due to the baby's weight, she was practically confined at home.
Doctors said that Santiago, who has earned the moniker "Colombia's most obese baby," needs long-term treatment and will undergo a series of operations so he can regain his health. He also needs to lose weight to a manageable level before he can be operated.
"Likely, what he will need is a long-term treatment, education, healthy food, and when he is older physical activity," said [translated from Spanish] surgeon Cesar Ernesto Guevar. "Otherwise, in the future, he could suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure and severe problems with his joints."
Doctors have already placed young Santiago on a strict diet saying that he needs to lose almost 40 pounds to achieve a healthy weight. The child will also be taken off of formula milk and will be fed primarily with vegetables and juices.
Fandiño on her part promised to follow the doctors' instructions and said that she is optimistic about her son's future.
