Chinese toddler born with 15 fingers, 16 toes; family pleads for help

A couple was shocked after their son was born with a total of 31 fingers despite there being no indications of his deformities on pre-natal scans. The three-month-old boy, who is nicknamed Honghong, even has two palms on each hand with no thumbs, according to People’s Daily Online. It is said that Honghong suffers from an extreme case of polydactyly, which is a medical condition in which people are born with extra fingers or toes. However, this is a rare condition and appears in approximately one in 1,000 cases.

Polydactyly is a rare condition and appears in approximately one in 1,000 cases. (Credit: YouTube)

Honghong’s mother also suffers from polydactyly and possesses additional digits on both her hands and feet, according to reports. As she was worried about passing the condition on to her child, she underwent several examinations at hospitals in Shenzhen, South China. She even got a four-dimensional ultrasound done at the Futian District Maternity Hospital in Shenzhen when she was half way through her pregnancy. But even then she was told that the baby would have no deformities.

Honghong’s mother also suffers from polydactyly and possesses additional digits on both her hands and feet. (Credit: YouTube)

Unfortunately the couple found out after the birth that their son’s polydactyly was even more severe than that of his mother. Honghong’s feet have eight toes each. He has eight fingers in one hand and seven in the other. Doctors have told his father, Zou Chenglin, that the surgery will be extremely difficult. He will need to undergo surgery between six months and a year before the bones set but his poor rural family is unable to bear the costs of the treatment and are desperately trying out means to raise money for their son’s treatment.

Honghong’s poor rural family is unable to bear the costs of his surgery. (Credit: YouTube)