Little Pebble sits in a Buddha-like pose. (Photo by Ma Xiaoma/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
Interactions with netizens on the short-video app Kuaishou have helped a 5-year-old boy with chronic kidney disease in Changchun, Jilin Province, fight loneliness and regain his smile.
In a clip posted on Wednesday, the boy, known as Xiaoshitou or "Little Pebble" to his 980,000 followers, is seen reading at home, holding a pencil and saying that it was his time to study.
He was diagnosed at 14 months old with nephrotic syndrome, a condition that damages the kidneys and wears down the immune system, according to Chu Bin, 38, the boy's father. "He doesn't understand the disease, but he knows that he goes to the hospital very often and takes a large number of pills," Chu said.
