Indian boy has rare ailment that turns him into a 'werewolf'

Asia World

Indian boy has rare ailment that turns him into a 'werewolf'

Lalit takes it all in his stride and has accepted the way he looks.

If you happen to pass by him on a busy road, one look at his face may take you aback or could even give you a scare. Only when you talk to him and know him better do you realise that 13-year-old Lalit Patidar from India is a normal guy who suffers from an abnormal 'Werewolf syndrome' which leaves his entire face and body covered in hair.

Lalit was born with Hypertrichosis, a condition characterised by abnormal hair growth on the face, arms and other parts of the body, reports Mirror. What's unfortunate is that there's no cure for the disorder, till now. And as the boy lives with the rare condition, on a bad day, he has to face strangers mocking him, and cruel bullies throwing stones at him while calling him "monkey".

But Lalit takes it all in his stride and has accepted the way he looks, even as he intends to have surgery in the future so other children stop being scared to play with him or bully him. He wants to be a police officer when he grows up and look after his parents who "have done a lot for me".

"I was born with too much hair on my face and this makes me different," he was quoted as saying in the report. "Sometimes, I wish I was like other children, but I cannot do much about it. I have gotten used to the way I am, and I am usually comfortable with myself."

No cure in sight

When Lalit was born, his mother Parvatibai Patidar was surprised to see the excessive hair on his body. Parvatibai, 42, said: "We immediately asked the local pediatrician to examine him who trimmed off his excess hair and said that there is no cure for this. I have five daughters and we prayed at lot of temples to have a son. Our prayers were answered when Lalit was born. He is different but still very special for me because he was born after many special prayers."

His father, Bankatlal Patidar, 45, said: "When Lalit was two years old, I took him to a big hospital in Vadodara where a team of doctors examined him. After examination, they told me that there is no cure for it and if they come across any, they will inform me."

Despite having come to terms with his condition and adjusting to it, Lalit often faces difficulty in breathing and sight. But nothing deters this boy with a steely determination and strong will. His self-confidence comes through when he says: "I want to join the police and put all thieves and criminals in jail when I grow up."

Popular in class

Lalit is good in studies and excels in sports. After initial hitches, his classmates became pally with him and do not treat him differently now. One among them, Dilip Rathore, said he was "shocked and scared" when he first met him but now they are the best of friends.

Babulal Makwana, the headmaster, said: "Lalit has been my student for the last two years. He is very popular in his class and everyone is fond of him."