At 14 months old and only seven pounds, seven ounces, Suraya Brown has doctors all over England baffled. She weighs barely more than an average newborn, and seems to have stopped growing entirely. At her age, she should have an approximate weight of 22 pounds and height of 30 inches, but instead she measures 19 inches—and doctors can’t seem to figure out why.
Suraya was born four weeks early and underweight, at just over 2.5 pounds. But nine out of ten babies born under similar circumstances will start to grow and gain weight immediately, according to doctors. Suraya, however, gained no weight during her first eight months of life, and in the last six she’s grown to just two ounces more than the birth weight of her sister, who is one year older and in good health.
Myriad tests have all come back negative, including a genetic test for Silver-Russell syndrome, a form of dwarfism, and an X-ray showing no bone abnormalities. Groping for answers, doctors plan to explore the possibility that “her body has become resistant to its own growth hormones.” They grabbed onto this theory after Suraya’s blood sugar became unstable and, at times, dropped significantly.
Suraya has also experienced seizures, and is now being placed on a special mat when she sleeps so her breathing can be monitored more closely.
Doctors are hoping these other symptoms may lead to more conclusive results—or that she just starts growing, already.
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