Five diseases you may have not even known existed.
PICA
Pica is a disorder in which the sufferer chooses to consume non-food items such as dirt, clay, paper, soap, buttons, ashes, hair, sand, toothpaste and much more. The main cause of this bizarre disorder are unknown but scientists believe that malnutrition, parental neglect and mental disorders could contribute to the development of pica. Signs to look for include: consumption of non-food items and cravings for non-food items that last for more than one month and are out of character for your kid's age.
Porphyria
Porphyria is an autoimmune disease which affects how heme is made and broken down in the body. Heme helps to carry oxygen to cells. Causes of porphyria can be genetic or environmental. Symptoms include acute abdominal pain, sensitivity to light, discolored urine, night sweats, muscle twitching and numbness in the legs or arms.
Hypertrichosis
Also called Werewolf Syndrome, this disease causes the sufferer to have unusual amounts of hair all over their body, including their face. There have only been 50 cases known since the 1500s. Hypertrichosis is a genetic disorder.
Progeria
Progeria is rapid age progression in children and is caused by a mutation. There is no cure for progeria. Symptoms usually start to develop between 18-24 months and include loss of body fat, atherosclerosis, aged skin, stiff joints, hip dislocation, loss of hair and stroke. The estimated lifespan for a child with progeria is 13 years old.
Hermaphroditism
Hermaphroditism is a condition in which the sufferer has both female and male reproductive organs. This disease is rare, occurring in only 500 documented cases worldwide. The cause of this disease is from the fusion of two zygotes of opposites sexes inside the womb.
