Casa Jackson Antigua Guatemala 

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Maria, Elmer, Carlos, Jose

Infant Mortality and The Dilemma of Malnourished Infants in Guatemala

"Infants are the most vulnerable victims of poverty.  Children come into the world ready to thrive and grow. When they are denied proper and sufficient nutrition in their diets, their systems are ill-equipped to prepare for it and the consequences can be permanent.  Casa Jackson for malnourished Infants is rejuvenating the most defenseless victims of Guatemala: malnourished infants. In addition to professionally treating these young children, it is a safe haven for them, providing them with love and affection."  - A message from Luke Armstrong, Program Director for Asociación Nuestros Ahijados

2010 VISIT Heart for the Nations Ambassadors, Jean Schlegel, Joann Rivera, and John White visited Casa Jackson on Feb 6, 2010, to volunteer time to the infants. Casa Jackson is a recovery center for malnourished infants and children under the age of 11 years located in Antigua, Guatemala.

Heart for the Nations realizes that half of the malnourishment In Guatemala and other developing countries is due to polluted water which causes malaria and diarrhea. Because of this chronic malnourishment dilemma, Casa Jackson was founded in Antigua, Guatemala as an extension of The God's Child Project headed by Patrick Atkinson.

A 2008 census in the school system of Guatemala revealed that 49% of the students are chronically malnourished.  Among the indigenous population, the rate reaches a staggering 80% in some areas.  As of 2002, the infant mortality rate was at 44 per 1,000 births while the under-five mortality was 59 per 1,000 births. In conjunction with proper nutrition, many children are affected by illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented with an adequate daily diet.  Over 50% of the deaths of young children are caused by infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and the measles, all diseases that can be easily fought with good nutrition and medical resources. 

A malnourished baby can survive, but often that child grows up with impaired brain activity or stunted growth.  This is a problem which World Vision states “affects some 178 million preschoolers in developing countries.” Estimates posit that over 50% of the children of the country are malnourished.  The consequences of the condition include: stunted growth, brain damage, xerosis, follicular hyperkeratosis, fatigue, emotional distress, and death. 

Merely treating victims of malnutrition without addressing the cause is a losing strategy. No matter how effective the center is at rehabilitation, it is all done in vain if they are placed in situations where the vicious cycle is allowed to continue. At Casa Jackson the inpatient recovery program encompasses the recovery of a child’s entire family. This is the  point of supplying the families with a ceramic water filter.  Drinking clean water is essential to living a healthy life.

 A  Casa Jackson nurse with baby

Casa Jackson is designed to accommodate up to 20 in-house cases of severe malnourishment.  These patients consist of children and infants who run a high risk of mortality without immediate intervention. After the triaging process, admitted patients begin the sometimes long road to recovery.  The recovery approach of the center was designed following the World Health Organization guidelines and implements approaches from different professionals in the field of malnutrition. 

     Using a computer-based data monitoring program, the patient’s progress is tracked and recorded with diet and treatment decisions made through careful data analysis.  Temperature and weight levels are recorded daily as well as the child’s nutritional intake and waste elimination masses.  Care of a child involves much more than providing them with a safe environment and sufficient nutrition.  Children come into the world ready to absorb their environment.  Without mental stimulation and human affection, their bodies may grow, but their minds will slowly waste away. The large volume of volunteers the center manages makes it possible to give constant love and attention to each and every child. The volunteers assist the nurses in feeding, cleaning, and caring for the patients. 

     Inpatient stays vary by severity and are generally between 3 weeks and 4 months. When the children are released from the center, they are released as happy healthy children into an environment that ensures the problem will not resurface

After the problems are identified, the appropriate solutions are implemented. If contaminated water is a culprit, the family is given a ceramic water filter  with instructions on how to use it to purify water for human consumption.  If the family’s economical condition is a cause, the social worker can begin a microfinance program in which they learn how to raise 100 chickens that in addition to providing a ready source of protein can be sold for a profit margin of up to $200 a month, which is double what most poor families live off of. While the child is being rehabilitated, the family is being educated and assisted so that when the child is well enough to return, the recovery will be permanent.