A young Tennessee girl who was born without bones is making astonishing progress. An experimental drug is now giving her a second chance at life, according to a report from NY Daily News.
Janelly Amador is doing something doctors never thought possible; she’s waving and it’s major progress. Janelly was born without ribs to support breathing, no skull to protect her brain and was unable to move her body.
Doctors said she’d only live a few days. Instead she hung on and with a breakthrough enzyme drug, she’s now able to develop a skeleton.
The condition is known as hypho-phosphatasia, a disorder that prevents bone mineralization.
Pediatric Endocrinologist Dr. Bill Russell said, “She’s got bones now, so she’s not yet walking but she can roll herself over she can wave with her hands, things that kids do at a much earlier age than six so she’s got a lot of catching up to do but I think she’s making it clear she wants to catch up.”
Janelly was 2-years-old and already beating doctors’ expectations when she began treatment. She received the medication through a port surgically inserted into her abdomen.
Eighteen months later, a rib cage began to show in her x-ray. She continues to grow bones and make amazing progress learning to move and eventually it’s hoped she will walk as well.
