This baby girl has 25 digits

A baby girl was born at the Safdarjung Hospital here with 25 fingers and toes. Orthopaedic surgeons said though she will not be afflicted by any disease due to the condition, she may find it difficult to walk normally.

The child, born on November 22, has been named Ritika. Her parents live in the Molarband extension, Badarpur. The seven-day-old girl, as well as her mother Malti are in good health.

Ritika has six fingers each in both hands. One foot has six toes, while another has seven.

Shishir Rastogi, orthopaedic surgeon at AIIMS said: “This is not a disorder. It will be seen later whether she has trouble writing because of the extra fingers. However, wearing shoes will be a problem which might hamper her normal walk.”

He said if need be, the extra fingers can be removed surgically. But Ritika’s father Raju said: “Why should we go for removal of fingers if my daughter is fine? It is not a disease.”

V K Kadam, medical superintendent and gynaecologist at the Dadadev Matri Avum Shishu Chikitsalaya, said she was amazed to hear about Ritika. She said while children with one or two extra fingers are common, Ritika’s case is very rare.

Kadam said: “We do not know the reasons for development of more than five fingers and toes in one limb. It can happen due to drugs pregnant women take, but the chances are very low. This is a natural phenomenon.”

Such cases are not uncommon in Delhi. At present, a child with 34 fingers and toes is being treated at AIIMS. The patient has to undergo a series of surgeries in such cases. The child admitted at AIIMS has already been operated thrice, while some more operations will have to be carried out, doctors said.