Intensive care corner

DELA CRUZ, 3, with mom Jenalyn

Three-year-old Jham dela Cruz has a distended stomach which gets even bigger when he cries hard. He also suffers from delayed speech and psychomotor development.

“He can already walk but he has a tendency to fall down easily. Even his speech is delayed. He can only say ‘mama,’ ‘papa’ and ‘um,’” said his father, Christopher dela Cruz.

Doctors, however, cannot tell if his ailment is due to gastric or liver problems.

“We cannot be sure either until he undergoes some laboratory tests,” said Dela Cruz, a pedicab driver in Navotas City.

For the series of tests to be done at Philippine General Hospital, the family will need P30,000. Christopher, however, earns just P200 a day. He and his partner, Jenalyn, have three other children aside from Jham.

Christopher dela Cruz can be reached at 0932-2158210. Donations can be deposited in his BPI account (#4349-0544-48). Santiago R. Alcantara