We often think of children as being carefree but sometimes, young children have to go through more than what we would ever have to go through in our lifetime. That was the case with this two-year-old girl, named Livi Grace. She is been through more medical problems than most people will experience in their lifetime. She has a medical condition that is known as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), which is also known as brittle bone disease. Unfortunately, she has had to go through a number of major surgeries and has experienced many broken bones and uncomfortable symptoms.
Even though she may be hurting physically, it is nice to know that she has a lot of positive feelings behind her. When you see her in person, you can always expect to find a smiling and friendly face looking back at you. Recently, she was shopping at Target with her grandmother and her kind demeanor was caught on camera. Her grandmother then uploaded it for the world to see.
OI is a serious disorder that has negative effects on the patient for their entire life. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explains the condition on their website. It discusses what parents need to be on the lookout for when the issue is being diagnosed.
” – Bones fracture easily
– Can usually be traced through the family
– Near normal stature or slightly shorter
– Blue sclera (the normally white area of the eye ball)
– Dental problems (brittle teeth)
– Hearing loss beginning in the early 20s and 30s
– Most fractures occur before puberty; occasionally women will have fractures after menopause
– Triangular face
– Tendency toward spinal curvature”
You should bring any of those symptoms to the attention of your pediatrician. The following steps can then be taken to test for the condition.
“Your child’s doctor will take a careful family history in addition to a complete medical history and do a physical examination. Diagnostic procedures for OI may include a skin biopsy to evaluate the amount and structure of collagen. But this test is complicated, and not many qualified facilities are available to perform the procedure. It is not unusual for results of the biopsy to take up to six months.”
X-rays and other exams may also be given to make the diagnosis. Even though no parent wants to see their child go through these treatments or tests, it is an important part of treating it properly.
Despite the fact that she is going through numerous medical treatments and physical problems, Livi remains optimistic. She doesn’t allow anything to get her down, and that was easy to see on this shopping trip.
The grandmother was trying to tell her that she needed to wear slippers because of the cold weather. Livi decided that she didn’t want to and her response to her grandmother has softened the hearts of people everywhere.
The footage was shared on Facebook with the following additional information:
“Meet Livi Grace! Liv is almost 2 years old and was born with a rare disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. She has brittle bones and has had over 60 fractures since birth. She is an absolute JOY. We like to think God blessed her with a lot of sass to make up for what she lacks physically. Her bones may break but her spirit is truly, unbreakable.”
It is easy to see
You can see her in this video: