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10 months old, but weighs 17 kg: Pune boy faces rare obesity surgery

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.

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Shreejit Hingankar
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Shreejit Hingankar of Pune is just 10 months old. But he weighs 17 kg. Doctors say he suffer from Leptin gene mutation /deficiency, which causes obesity. Shreejit may have to undergo weight-loss surgery, if medications don't help. If the undergoes the surgery, he will be the youngest patient in the world to undergo the surgery.

His treating 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.

This 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.”

10 month, 17 kg and 75.5 cm high

What is sleeve gastrectomy ?
If doctors get the go-ahead from experts, they will perform a surgical procedure called sleeve gastrectomy, a restrictive form of weight-loss surgery, in which approximately 85% of the stomach is removed, leaving a cylindrical or sleeve- shaped stomach. The removal of the major part of the stomach results in the virtual elimination of ghrelin hormones, which stimulate hunger. It gives the feeling of instant fullness after a light meal.

Shreejit's current diet 
Can eat almost 1 chapati or even more 
His daily diet intake: 2 chapatis with dal and one-and-a-half-litre of milk
5-6 biscuits. Parents say he can eat even more, but hide food from him
Difficulty in crawling. Makes attempt to crawl only when he sees food.

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