Once in a blue moon, a baby is born with progeria, an extremely rare disease that is caused by a single genetic defect. This disease has devastating, life-altering effects. Children born with this disease usually have a life expectancy of about 13 years. Their bodies go throught the aging process within this short amount of time. They experience all the internal and external symptoms of aging.
External symptoms include physical changes in appearance, such as premature baldness, heart disease, thinning bones, and arthritis. Because this is such a rare disease, approximately only 48 people worldwide are diagnosed with this and are still living. But, interestingly enough, there is a currently a family with five children who have this rare, unfortunate disease.
By: Alison Howey
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