‘Palm sister’ China baby born small as hand, light as 2 cans of soup, survives 112-day intensive care, mother hopes she will be a doctor
- Infant born at 25 weeks, with arms size of adult finger, cannot drink milk
- Faces a range of health dangers, gets nearly four months of critical hospital care
A premature baby in China who was born weighing just 650 grams has been discharged from hospital after more than 100 days of intensive care.
The tiny infant was dubbed “Palm Sister” because her body is no longer than the palm of an adult’s hand, mainland news outlet The Cover reported.
She weighed about the same as two cans of soup and her arm was the size of an adult finger.
The baby, whose name is Xiyue, which means “joy” in English, was born in November last year when her 37-year-old mother was less than 25 weeks pregnant.
Doctors at a hospital in Deyang, in the southwestern province of Sichuan carried out a caesarean section on the mother, surnamed Wang, due to the critical situation of the fetus, according to the report.
Like other premature babies, Xiyue faced particular health risks, including septicaemia and meningitis. As a result, medical staff created a personalised care plan for her.