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In Magura, Bangladesh, parents Biswajit and Parul Patro were eagerly anticipating the birth of their child. They had already been blessed with a daughter, but wanted another child – preferably a son.
Just a few days ago, Parul gave birth – but the child wasn’t at all what they were expecting.
The Patro family were blessed with the son they so desired, but it was clear that he was suffering from a severe medical condition.
When the Patro’s son was born, he looked like an 80-year-old man.
His eyes were hollow, his body looked shrunken, and he had thick hair on his head and back, just like an adult man.
The Patro’s doctors weren’t sure what to tell the new parents. “There are prominent signs of aging,” and there’s a chance that the Patro’s new son suffers from progeria, otherwise known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS).
Progeria is a medical condition that causes children’s bodies to age far more rapidly than they otherwise should. A mistake in the child’s genes causes more of a particular protein, progerin, to build up in the body. The progerin then causes cells to turn over more quickly, causing these patients to look older than they actually are.
Most patients who suffer from this condition aren’t expected to live beyond the age of 13.
Although the future doesn’t look bright for the Patro family, Biswajit is still extremely thankful for this son, “We can only thank God. There is no need to be unhappy about the appearance of him.”
The doctors do note that the Patro’s son has been doing better than most other infants they’ve seen suffering from progeria, but they are still hesitant to make any predictions about his future.
You can watch footage of the Patro family and their new son here:
