A baby boy born in India has been diagnosed with a rare disease that means he will age eight times faster than normal.
The infant, born in Bangladesh’s Magura district on Sunday, has wrinkled skin and thick hair on his back, both symptoms of Progeria, the genetic disorder that affects just one in four million babies worldwide.
Happily, the newborn’s family are over the moon about their new arrival, who India Today has fondly dubbed ‘Bangladesh’s Benjamin Button’.
Parents Biswajit and Parul Patro have been busy welcoming a steady stream of well wishers and visitors, including family and curious neighbours.
Proud dad Biswajit said:
‘We can only thank God. There is no need to be unhappy about the appearance of my son.
‘We will accept him the way he is. We are so happy to have a baby boy in the house.
‘We are already blessed to have to have a daughter. Now we are a family of four. What else can we ask for.’
Doctors have assured the Patros, who are already parents to daughter Aparna, that their son is doing well for now.
Interestingly, a four-year-old in a nearby village was also diagnosed with Progeria in recent months. It is not known if the cases are connected.
What is Progeria?
Progeria, also known as Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome, is an extremely rare genetic disorder that causes sufferers to show symptoms of ageing from a very young age. The word comes from the Greek words “pro”, meaning “before” or “premature”, and “gēras” meaning “old age”. People diagnosed with this disorder usually have small, fragile bodies, like those of elderly people. Those born with progeria typically live to their mid teens to early twenties. No treatment has proven effective.
Images: India Today, and Daily Mail, supplied by Caters News Agency.
