Doctors in China's Changsha city have given three-year-old Xin Xin with an abnormally large head a "death sentence." The toddler is suffering from a rare medical condition, hydrocephalus.
Xin Xin was born with hydrocephalus also called as water on the brain, a condition that leads to the building of fluid inside the brain, and his parents cannot afford his medical treatment and have resorted to begging to raise money for his head surgery.
Due to the rare condition, his head swelled to a circumference of 70cm (27.5 inches). According to Daily Mail, a team at the Fourth People's Hospital said if he is not treated, his brain will not be able to hold up the pressure trauma caused by the liquid.
Xin Xin's parents have spent more than 100,000 RMB (approximately $15,000) for his treatment and they need 150,000 RMB (approximately $22,500) more, to save their son's life. His mother, Chen Manhui, and his migrant worker father earn just 4,000 RMB (approximately $600) a month.
To raise funds for his treatment, Xin Xin's mother carries him and begs outside the hospital every day. She even stands near train stations and shopping malls to earn money, Daily Mail quoted local media as saying.
It helps her to raise a small amount of money, but nowhere near enough the amount they need to save their son's life. She said she wants her firstborn to live a normal life.
Hydrocephalus is a condition seen in a majority of the children who live in developing countries. It goes untreated in several countries because of lack of neurosurgical care. If it is not treated, it will lead to permanent brain damage.
