A 4-year-old girl who suffered from a rare swallowing disorder can now eat unaided, Sanjin Metropolis Daily reported.

Wang Keran, from Zuoquan county, Shanxi province, had difficulty chewing and swallowing due to achalasia cardia, a condition that affects the esophagus.

Her father, Wang Zhihua, fed her for more than 16 months by chewing food and passing it from his mouth to hers.

She underwent surgery at Shanxi Children's Hospital, Taiyuan, on August 5 and was transferred from the intensive care unit to a general ward after a two-week recovery period.

Although she lost teeth due to malnutrition caused by the disease, she can now eat food that is easily swallowed and digested, said her doctor, Chen Rui.

chenghong@chinadaily.com.cn