Surprisingly, some are calling a young boy in Bangladesh the real-life Benjamin Button. Born with a life-threatening condition that makes the body age more quickly than the mind, Bayezid Hossain has had to deal with the pressure of living life with others being afraid of him.
You have to read more about Bayezid's story.
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What may look like the skin of an 80-year-old is actually that of a four-year-old boy named Bayezid Hossain.
He suffers from an extremely rare condition called progeria that causes the body to age at an alarmingly fast rate. Also known as Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, this progressive genetic disorder can cause a young child to age at roughly eight times the normal rate.
Progeria has caused Bayezid's face to swell and his eyes to appear sunken.
Less than one in one-million people are born with progeria and the average lifespan of someone with the condition is roughly 13-years-old, due to the heightened risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Bayezid also has a rare disorder called cutis laxa that causes his skin to hang loosely on his body.
Progeria is thought to be the inspiration for the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which starred Brad Pitt as a young man born looking like an old man.
While Bayezid's condition reminds us of this film, it does differ in that progeria does not cause someone to look younger as they age. Benjamin Button appeared to look younger the longer he lived.
As Benjamin Button did, Bayezid has learned to live in a harsh world that isn't kind to 'abnormal' physical anomalies.
He lives in a community where children are afraid to play with him due to his appearance.
Bayezid is monitored closely by his mother, Tripti Khatun, who had him at the age of 14.
Tripti Khatun told the Daily Mail that "Bayezid only learned to walk aged three but he had a full set of teeth at three months old." He also suffers from constant joint pain.
Despite his rapid physical aging, Bayezid is very intelligent for his age.
His mother told reporters that 'His physical growth is completely abnormal but mentally, he has wonderful conversation, very aware and is very intuitive for his age." She and doctors were completely shocked by Bayezid's appearance when he was first born. ‘I was terrified to see him when he was born. He was just flesh and bones. He looked like an alien and it was heartbreaking for me."
Immediately after his birth, townspeople gathered at his house to get a glimpse of him.
The community was extremely interested in seeing Bayezid but was completely unsupportive.
Understandably, Tipti constantly worries about her son's health.
She explained that "his situation remains the same and he’s probably getting even worse day by day. My son isn’t a normal baby and it’s tragic for any parent to know that his child will not survive for long." Tipti also worries that the family's lack of income will reduce her son's chance of living as long as possible.
His family tries to keep him physically active despite his chronic pain.
Bayezid tries to keep his physical difference out of mind and has a great relationship with his immediate family.
"His relationship with his cousins is very friendly and funny. He understands his condition but he doesn’t like to talk about it," explained Tipti.
When he isn't with his cousins, he spends his time having fun playing ball and drawing. His parents are aware that their son's prognosis and are working through that reality every day. Despite his difficult situation, Bayezid chooses to live life as any other young boy does, having fun and forgetting about life's woes.
When he isn't with his cousins, he spends his time having fun playing ball and drawing. His parents are aware that their son's prognosis and are working through that reality every day. Despite his difficult situation, Bayezid chooses to live life as any other young boy does, having fun and forgetting about life's woes.
It appears as if the community is beginning to get used to Bayezid and have even started to call him 'old man'.
Through it all, this smart little boy is dealing with an extremely difficult situation with grace.
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