A rare disease caused by a mutated gene makes this child look different from other children his age. He looks 70 years older than his age.
The Progeria Research Foundation reports that about 80 children worldwide have a rare disease, progeria. One of them is Ana Rochelle Pondare from the Philippines who celebrated her 18th birthday. Meanwhile, medically calculated body age and physical condition have shown the age of 144 years.
The doctor who handled Pondare’s condition said Pondare had a maximum life expectancy of up to 15 years. Even dr. Pierre R Clero said that sufferers of pondare provide treatment with a special diet and skin cream to be able to extend the life expectancy of teenage girls who have a genetic mutation, progeria.
Even quoted from WebMD, a boy named Franco Villavicencio who came from Argentina, was 4 years old. Like other children his age, he likes watching cartoons and playing. Even though he has a young age, his physical condition, medical health is old, as if he is trapped in an old person’s body.
This condition is reminiscent of a film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, where a baby has physical parents. Progeria, also known as Hutchinson – Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic condition that causes the body to age rapidly.
This disease can occur in any gender and race, a very rare occurrence in the world. In fact, one in four million babies born worldwide is extremely rare. There is a gene mutation that causes abnormal protein production in the body. Even when protein cells break down more easily.
Progerin, an abnormal protein that accumulates in many cells in progeria children, causing them to age quickly. This disease condition is not a family hereditary disease, it can happen to anyone. Generally very visible in most children who suffer from progeria at birth.
When a baby has progeria he will have problems with weight. They even develop physical characteristics, enlarged head, small lower jaw, protruding ears, slow tooth growth, protruding ears, clearly visible veins. Even at infancy, the voice is loud and there is loss of body fat and hair loss.
Children who suffer from progeria are often attacked by diseases that generally attack the elderly. Some of the diseases experienced by progeria children include clotting of the arteries, heart disease or porous bones. Even children who suffer from progeria generally die from a stroke or heart attack.
Although progeria makes children susceptible to disease, progeria does not at all affect children’s intelligence and development. Even children with progeria conditions are not as susceptible to disease as children his age. The doctor’s examination action is expected to provide help to reduce aging that occurs
The treatment for children with progeria, namely the provision of drugs to repair damaged cells. Treatment is carried out solely to slow down the symptoms of the disease that may appear. Thus the treatment carried out can be one of the best ways to help him.
These are the heartwarming stories of a rare disease, progeria, which only occurs in a few in two million births worldwide. This condition can be very touching, they need confidence to be able to grow and develop in their environment. So they can grow and develop even with rare conditions.
