6-year-old boy has broken his bones more than 500 times

A six-year-boy dubbed 'china doll' has broken his bones more than 500 times, the Daily Mail reported.

Reiko Quinlan, from Toronto, Canada, suffers from a condition called Osteogeneses Imperfecta Type Three, also known as brittle bone disease. Hugging or smiling is all it takes for the young child to suffer broken bones.

Reiko during birth suffered five fractures and 80 in the first year of his life. His mother is fearful for his future but is hopeful he will lead a good life.

"It is caused by an anomality in the collagen of the bone," Dr Francis Glorieux, chairman of the Medical Advisory Council at the Osteogeneses Imperfecta Foundation, told the Daily Mail.

"The collagen keeps the bone hard so that it can function properly. When the anomality is present, it causes the bones to become brittle."

"In severe cases, rods can be put in the legs, arms and spine to keep the bones straight even when they fracture," Dr Glorieux further explained.

This rare condition reportedly affects one in 20,000 people.