Meet an eight-year-old Indian boy whose hands swelled to giant proportions and now weigh more than 12 kilograms.

The boy is unable to carry out simple tasks, including tying his own shoe laces, feeding himself etc.

Kaleem is believed to suffer from either lymphangioma or hamartoma which are both treatable. However, more testing is needed to identify the disease.
Young Kaleem suffers from an extremely rare unknown condition, he is unable to carry out simple tasks, including tying his own shoe laces, after he was born with hands twice the size of an average baby. Using two fingers he is able to pick up some things like a glass of water to drink.
Kaleems parents knew he was different at birth but were as powerless to help and the youngsters hands have now grown so large they measure 33cm from the base of his palm to the end of his middle finger.




Since his childhood Kaleem has been bullied and shunned because others are scared of his deformity. The boy does not go to school because other kids have repeatedly beat him.
I find it difficult to put on my clothes, button my shirt and pull up my pants. But I dont know if I want doctors to operate on my hands.They would have to make me unconscious and then they would cut me open. I have no problem if they could do it without an injection. A small operation would be okay.
Kaleems parents, who earn just $25 a month, have only just been able to take their son to a local doctor for an assessment.
Apart from the unsightly growths, Kaleem is in good health with properly functioning lungs and heart. But as his hands continue to grow it may put increased pressure on his cardiovascular system, potentially shortening his life. I have not seen a case in medical journals or on the internet where only the hands grew to such a large size
As far as my knowledge goes, this is an extremely rare condition.Until we have done proper genetic testing we will not be able to say exactly what is causing this deformity,Dr Ratan, the director of the local hospital, said. Lymphangioma is a condition of the lymphatic system which causes extreme inflammation resulting in doughy masses forming in certain parts of the body.Hamartoma is a benign type of tumour where the body produces excess tissue.


As Kaleems s hands continue to grow it may put increased pressure on his cardiovascular system, potentially shortening his life.