Good luck, little one

Peru's 'Little Mermaid' legs separated

The child has already beaten tremendous odds. She has sirenomelia, a congenital disorder that is nearly always fatal due to associated problems with the renal and digestive systems. There is only one other case of a child with sirenomelia being sucessfully treated with surgery, a now 16-year-old American girl, and even in that case there are those who think another closely related disorder that is more easily treatable may be the reason. Parents of a child with sirenomelia are generally counselled to terminate the pregnancy or at least be prepared for the child to die, often within 24 hours. Although such rare cases of survival must tug at the heart of those whose child had no hope for survival, I'm glad that they are finding ways to save the ones who may be helped. Still, it's a dangerous and costly procedure. The city of Lima is underwriting the costs of the surgery (the girl is a godchild of Lima's mayor). I'm sure that was controversial, although it's good to see so many people rooting for the well-being of one child. If every child were cared for with such fervour, the world would be a better place.

One could easily see, too, why the ancients, encountering such births, would think that the child was a mermaid or other sea creature, given the resemblance of the fused legs and the splayed feet to a fish's tail. It amazes me the enormous variation we have within the human species, many of which may have fueled legends such as giants, trolls, ogres, elves, sirens, satyrs, and the like.