In a rural village in Jiangxi, east China, a little girl lives with her 73-year-old grandfather and 12-year-old brother.
Unusually, the 15-year-old girl stopped growing when she was just a toddler and is still the size of a three-year-old. What's more, her mental ability has not developed either so she still cannot speak.
As the family is very poor, Hu Yuefang's condition has never been diagnosed, reported People's Daily Online. Her grandfather now hopes that someone will take her in after his death.
When Hu Yuefang was born in 2000, she seemed like any other child.
Tragedy struck in 2004 when her father died prematurely.
Yuefang's mother decided to leave her children with their grandfather, Hu Jinglang, and remarry.
As the years went on, Yuefang's younger brother, Hu Hainan, gradually grew taller and is now about twice as tall as she is. Yuefang, on the other hand, has never grown.
In fact, she is just over three feet tall and all of her features resemble those of a toddler.
Her stature has been compared to that of Thumbelina, the fairy tale figure who never grew up.
Aside from her physical stature, Yueyang never developed mentally either.
She can call out to her grandfather but beyond that, she never learnt to speak.
As she is too small to care for herself, she still has to wear nappies and be fed her meals.
The family survive on just 600 Yuan (£60) a month from the local government and food that they grow themselves.
As such, the girl has never been formally diagnosed by doctors.
According to Ashley Grossman, Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Oxford, 'The lack of mental development implies it is not hormonal'.
However, without a thorough examination, it would be impossible to diagnose Yuefang.
Now her ageing grandfather is hoping that someone might be able to adopt the girl.
Hu Jinglang said: 'If I'm still alive, I will look after her. But I am getting old very quickly. When I die, what will happen to her?
'I hope there might be somewhere that will take her in so my granddaughter could quietly live out the rest of her life.'
Unusually, the 15-year-old girl stopped growing when she was just a toddler and is still the size of a three-year-old. What's more, her mental ability has not developed either so she still cannot speak.
As the family is very poor, Hu Yuefang's condition has never been diagnosed, reported People's Daily Online. Her grandfather now hopes that someone will take her in after his death.
When Hu Yuefang was born in 2000, she seemed like any other child.
Tragedy struck in 2004 when her father died prematurely.
Yuefang's mother decided to leave her children with their grandfather, Hu Jinglang, and remarry.
As the years went on, Yuefang's younger brother, Hu Hainan, gradually grew taller and is now about twice as tall as she is. Yuefang, on the other hand, has never grown.
In fact, she is just over three feet tall and all of her features resemble those of a toddler.
Her stature has been compared to that of Thumbelina, the fairy tale figure who never grew up.
Aside from her physical stature, Yueyang never developed mentally either.
She can call out to her grandfather but beyond that, she never learnt to speak.
As she is too small to care for herself, she still has to wear nappies and be fed her meals.
The family survive on just 600 Yuan (£60) a month from the local government and food that they grow themselves.
As such, the girl has never been formally diagnosed by doctors.
According to Ashley Grossman, Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Oxford, 'The lack of mental development implies it is not hormonal'.
However, without a thorough examination, it would be impossible to diagnose Yuefang.
Now her ageing grandfather is hoping that someone might be able to adopt the girl.
Hu Jinglang said: 'If I'm still alive, I will look after her. But I am getting old very quickly. When I die, what will happen to her?
'I hope there might be somewhere that will take her in so my granddaughter could quietly live out the rest of her life.'
Music : Anamalie by Kevin MacLeod
Source : DailyMail , People.com
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