'Barrel boy’ needs more help

Liu Qingyu, 4, lives in a small town in central China’s province Hunan. He acts like a one-year-old kid, and cannot speak and walk like other children at his age. His mother is suffering mental problem and his father goes out for work every day, so no one can take care of Liu. They put him in a wooden barrel for safety. The absence of education and life in closed environment has resulted in slow development of Liu’s body and mind.

Liu's story caused widespread social attention after it was posted on Internet in August. Netizens kindly call him "barrel boy". With many kind-hearted people’s help and donation, Liu was transferred to a rehab hospital in September. Under professional treatments, such as language practices, motion therapy, acupuncture, he has started to babble and walk.

Doctors in the hospital said rehabilitation therapy for Liu will take a long time, and medical treatment alone is not enough for the boy to get normal intelligence and behavior development. Education at home is more important for his growth.

The 10,000 yuan of donation for Liu was nearly used up, his father said, and he has to go back to work for making money. He hopes the family can get more donations for his son's rehab treatment.

Relying on social help, Liu got out of the small barrel to enter a big world. Experts from the hospital said it would be of great help if volunteers could communicate with and accompany him. To eliminate the boy’s mental barrier requires more attention and efforts of whole society