A family in South Africa is living in distress after their daughter delivered a baby with a rare genetic condition referred to as progeria.
According to the family, they are now facing stigma after their 20-year old daughter delivered her baby with the condition that causes the baby’s skin to age rapidly two months ago.
The baby girl was delivered at home in Libode, Eastern Cape. Soon after her birth, midwives together with her grandmother noticed that something was amiss with her. The baby is said to have shown signs that were completely different from other newborns.
The child who is currently admitted at a hospital with her mother had deformed hands and wrinkled skin.
“When she was in labor we called an ambulance but it took long to come. So she gave birth here at home. But the delivery got complicated and we hired a van to take her to hospital,” the grandmother said
Adding that,
“We were told there that she’s disabled. I noticed during her birth that there was something strange with her. She did not cry and she was breathing through the ribs. I was shocked because that was strange. Now I hear that people are calling her names. That hurts a lot. If I had means, I would put all of them in jail.”
Photos of the baby that have been shared on social media have elicited mixed reactions with some people showing sympathy towards the young one whereas others mercilessly comparing her to an ape.
Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is caused by a mutation in the lamin (LMNA) gene.
According to medical experts the genetic condition occurs randomly and is not inherited.
“Progeria is a genetic condition that makes the baby age faster. Another thing is that these children also develop heart diseases and their life span is very short. We have never had a child with that condition in this hospital. It is very rare, maybe it happens to one in four or eight million people,” Dr. Martha Mayer, a neonatologist at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital said.
Progeria has no cure according to the experts.
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