Baby with twelve toes and fingers
Jeshuah Fuller was born on Tuesday with polydactylism -- in this case, an extra finger on each hand and extra toe on each foot. An ultrasound had previously revealed the six fingered hands, but the twelve toes on his feet were a surprise. They will be surgically removed next week. The New York Daily News has the full story and an audio slideshow. From the article:
Link
Jeshuah's father was born with a sixth finger on his left hand.
"I was like, wow, I gave him the finger," said the 29-year-old dad, who asked to remain anonymous...
While one in 2,000 babies is born with an extra finger or toe, it's much rarer to have extra digits on each appendage, said Dr. Robert Marion, director of genetics at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore.
Among African-Americans, one in 200 is born with a sixth finger or toe, he said. The condition - known as polydactyly or hexadactyly - is usually genetic...
The extra digits serve no function, Marion said. They usually occur outside of the pinky or little toe, lack bone and don't extend into the wrist or foot.
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Gah! Why do parents always ruin cool traits with surgery?!?!
Some people are so damned afraid that their kids won't "fit in" that they rob them of otherwise unique traits.
Personally, modifying our kids uselessly (such as this surgery, circumcision, etc.) is no different than giving your kid a tribal tattoo at age 1month.
Let the kids decide what they want to do with their bodies once they're old enough!
Anyone know what it's called when someone is born with only 9 fingers?
I seem to be seeing this type of thing more and more; what we could be seeing is evolution in action. If Jeshuah turns out to be a fantastic piano player and others wish to procreate, this is darwins theory confirmed absolutely.
Is 1 in 2000 right, I must know more than 2000 people and none of them have more than the standard ten.
12 toes and fingers... ewww.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Antonio Alfonseca has six fingers on each hand.
http://flickr.com/photos/stksave27/829455698/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Alfonseca
Gattaca anyone? His parents are probably hardcore piano players. I knew that movie was an accurate representation of the future!!
Why do the parents have to ruin it and cut them off? I wish I had 12 fingers and toes. It would be a great icebreaker at parties.
This baby is going to be an awesome programmer. He can count in HEX naturally.
How will we know who our superior mutant overlords are if doctors keep snipping off those extra digits?
All hail Jeshuah!
...In my ~46 years of existence, I've never seen anyone with *extra* fingers or toes. I've know quite a few, however, that were missing at least one digit as the result of birth "defects" and not from accidents. The ironic part is that every single one I've met that was missing a finger was - you guessed it - missing the middle one.
Go figure.
i was boorn with 12 toes and fingers although my figers were removed due to lack of bone structure i still posses a perfect set of 12 toes.
That kid is digitally enhanced.
I'm with Flying Squid, I was jealous the moment I read the headline of this one - all of a sudden, a mere ten toes and ten fingers seems so sadly inadequate =P If I were one of those kids and ever found out my parents had deprived me of my lovely extra fingers, ooh would I be vexed ...
I agree with Daniel Morris' comments above. Evolution in action. Who's to say that we won't need those extra digits in the near future to offset something like the destruction of the world. Hmmm.
Six toes isn't uncommon in cats. We have a so-called "Hemingway Cat" with 6 toes in my neighborhood.
1 2 3 4 5, 6 7 8 9 10, 11 12!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball_Number_Count
In high school biology, my teacher told us (this isn't verified, so don't quote me) that 6 fingers/toes is actually the dominant gene, and 5 is recessive. It's just that 99% of everyone has the recessive genes, so that's generally what gets expressed.
Hey! He killed my father!
(Geez, guys - 15 comments and nobody had made an Inigo Montoya reference. What are you -- young, or something?)
Guess I'm one of the lucky few: 12 fingers and 12 toes. Here's the kicker: I was also born on Christmas Day. SPOOOKY, huh?
Actually, the docs took off the fingers when I was a day or two old (there were no bones in them). But the toes remain intact--with bones. They've won me more than one free beer. Typical first question from curious onlookers: "Do you need special shoes?" Typical second question: "Do you have any extra..." (use your imagination).
My family believes this is a held-over genetic trait from an Amish ancestor--I apparently have a few Pennsylvania Dutch in my lineage. Remember reading somewhere that the founder of the Amish in America had 12 toes, and because the Amish live in such a tight-knit community, the trait is passed on quite often and rarely leaves the group. This phenomena is known as "Founder's Theory."
The condition - known as polydactyly or hexadactyly - is usually genetic...
?!?!?
As opposed to what? Radioactive spiders(that would actualy result in posible genetic damage, hence genetic cause)? Aliens probing the pregnant mother and adding fingers while in the womb? Cyborg invaders posing as humans?
Btw, Karl, my high school teacher told me the same thing. Polydactyly is a dominant trait.
Surprised no one's mentioned the Schoolhouse Rocks song (which for some reason I can't embed here)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l2NP6K_iuk
Sorry folks the trend evolutionarly is acuttly toward less fingers we started out as amphbians with 14 or 15 digits and have gradually lost these extra digits over time so it is not better to have six it is a sign that your parents are 1st cousins
"Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You kiled my father. Prepare to die."
Just watched Princess Bride again this week. Totally a classic. The best memorable quote in the movie is Indigo's.
The family of Foldi, part of the Hyabites tribe living in Arabia, all have 24 digits.
http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/2007/03/polydactyl-marvels.html
I'm just puzzled about the dads comment.
"I was like, wow, I gave him the finger," said the 29-year-old dad, who asked to remain anonymous...
It seems a bit excessive to remove his feet!
My son was born with 2 "nubs", on on each hand and a fully functional extra toe on his right foot. He is now 17 and although his nubs were removed, he still has the extra toe.
I was born with six fingers on each hand which featured bones and fingernails and knuckles. They were removed at 6 weeks of age. My brother was born with 6 toeson both feet. we are of irish, english and scottish heritage-do you think I'm related to Anne Boelyn?