Due to an extremely rare genetic condition that turns muscles into bones, a five-month-old baby girl from the United Kingdom is "turning to a stone".
Lexi Robins was born on January 31 this year and seemed just like any other normal baby.
The only thing that was rare in her is that she didn't move her thumb and had bigger toes.
On taking to the doctor by her concerning parents, it was revealed that Lexi was diagnosed with a life-limiting disease called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), which affects just one in two million.
According to reports, Lexi's X-rays, done in April, revealed that she had bunions on her feet and double-jointed thumbs.
The FOP can lead to bone formation outside skeleton and restrict movement. It is believed to replace muscles and connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, with bone. Thus, it is generally perceived that the condition turns a body into stone, said a report from India Today.
Lexi's condition may worsen rapidly over the times if she suffers any minor trauma, as simple as falling over. She cannot receive injections, vaccinations and dental care and cannot give birth due to this rare disorder.
"We were initially told, after the x-rays, she probably had a syndrome and wouldn't walk. We just didn't believe that because she's so strong physically at the moment and she's just kicking her legs," said Lexi's mother to reporters.
She added, "She's absolutely brilliant. She sleeps through the night, she smiles and laughs constantly, hardly ever cries. That's the way we want to keep her."
Meanwhile, Lexi's parents have started a fundraiser for research to find a cure for Lexi.
Moreover, they are also running an awareness campaign to alert other parents whose children might have similar conditions.
