10-month-old 'mermaid baby’s' legs are bound together

March 27, 2017  16:47

These are the heartbreaking pictures of a 'mermaid baby' whose legs are bound together.

Jermkwan Krathumnat, 10 months old, is also blind in the right eye and has a deformed face.

Doctors are unable to determine its gender due to the rare form of Sirenomelia - frequently referred to as 'Mermaid's syndrome' in which limbs are fused together.  

Better known as 'Kwan', her parents, of Kananchaburi, in Thailand, were also told she had a severe cleft palate. 

Her case was brought to people’s attention on social media by the man previously known as 'Supermonk'.

But he has now left the monkhood and is known simply Mr Bhin.

He said: 'Kwan’s father is mentally challenged and her mom was very, very young when Kwan was born. 

'It’s not known if this combination caused the baby’s problems but, with only the grandmother working, the family find it hard to get the proper medical treatment.'

Doctors will aim to correct Kwan's cleft palate before they operate on her limbs when she grows older.

Currently, she is being treated at Srirat Hospital in Bangkok, meaning her family often have to travel 75 miles just to see her.

Mr Bhin made a donation of 30,000 Thai baht (£700) to help pay for their living costs during the ordeal. A local TV company also donated 10,000 baht (£230) to assist.  

Mr Bhin added: 'This will help the family in the short term but they will need more help as Kwan’s treatment will take a very long time – maybe the people seeing this can also help.'

Medical historian Dr Lindsey Fitzharris previously told the MailOnline that the condition occurs when the umbilical cord fails to form two arteries.

As a result there is not a sufficient blood supply reaching the foetus. This leads to malnutrition, causing the developing child to not be born with two separate limbs. 

 

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