Monday, April 11, 2011

Boy, two, is first person in the world to be born with an extra strand of DNA - 11th Apr 2011

A two-year-old boy has become the only person in the world to be diagnosed with an extra strand in his DNA.

Brave Alfie Clamp was born blind and with severe disabilities, which led doctors to carry out various tests.

They revealed his seventh chromosome had an 'extra arm' which has never been documented anywhere in the world before.

Doctors are baffled at his condition, which is so rare it does not have a name.

Medics also have no idea whether his condition will improve or reduce his life expectancy.

Alfie, from Nuneaton, Warks., can now see and he will have an operation this month to fix an intestinal problem caused by his condition.

His parents Gemma and Richard Clamp only discovered something was wrong with their son after they first took him home.

Within days, he was rushed back to hospital after he stopped breathing and his lips turned blue.

Then when he was six weeks old, doctors discovered he had a rare abnormality in his DNA.

Mrs Clamp said: 'When the doctors told us I was absolutely devastated. As a pregnant mum you spend nine months thinking about what it will be like when your baby takes their first step or claps their hands. Read More

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