Cri du Chat is also known as 5P-  occurs when there is a loss of genetic material on the short arm of the fifth chromosome. Its main characteristic is the kitten-like cry or soft cry that is due to an underdeveloped larynx.

May 5 was Cri du Chat Awareness Day.  Forty-one-year-old Jamielanie Guerrero Salas is a Dededo resident and is a mother to two beautiful daughters. Her youngest daughter, Savana Jo, was diagnosed with Cri du Chat at birth.

"When I delivered with Savana Jo I had to have an emergency c- section and with that after Savana Jo was finally delivered it was her high-pitched cry that alarmed," she shared. "Dr. Santos and from there they had her tested for her chromosomes or her genetics and from there it was sent off to Honolulu confirmed that she did have Cri du Chat which is the deletion of the short arm 5p chromosome."


Salas explained that it could have happened at the moment of conception.

"When the sperm meets the egg and then from there the chromosomes are built together and then a portion of the fifth chromosome is deleted," she said. 

She was unfamiliar with the condition because back in 2012 Savana Jo was the only one on Guam diagnosed with Cri du Chat. Despite the lack of resources on the island, Salas said that Savana Jo is doing well because of her awesome support system.

"And I owe it all to my support team at home," she said. "My parents, my daughter, my niece, everybody her teachers and they are so supportive of Savana Jo and the willingness to take the time to be patient and we have to modify everything to kind of get her to interact with her lessons and we had to create a whole new thing for Savana Jo. So basically I really owe it all to them. They are my true supporters."

Salas shared some of her daughter's challenges.

"Savana Jo is non-verbal she still needs assistance to walk and needs 99% of self-help and is still learning to feed herself," Salas said. "She does have a wheelchair and is learning sign language thanks to my daughter and her big sister Jeanisha Jorden."

She shared this message to parents who may have children diagnosed with the rare condition.

"Man don't give up! It does take a lot of patience and education," Salas said. "We just gotta do what we gotta do little by little don't give up, continue to look and explore and see what works for your child, educate people about your child's condition and their syndrome. Introduce them to society and the community little by little."