“Ruby had an asymmetrical body; her right leg and foot was longer than the left side. She also almost resembled an alien. She had a tiny body and a large head,” Bec said.
At Ruby’s six-monthly check-up, the doctor suggested she may have Russell Silver Syndrome (RSS), a genetic disorder in which a person fails to grow and gain weight at the expected rate. There’s also a risk of delayed development and learning disabilities. But the suggestion little Ruby was born with RSS was dismissed at her yearly check-up, as she had grown some centimetres since her last doctors visit.
However, one and a half years later, Ruby was officially diagnosed with Russell Silver Syndrome.
“It was a mother’s intuition; I knew something was different with my baby girl. But there was next to no information on RSS, so the diagnosis wasn’t necessarily a relief because a lot of doctors haven’t heard of the syndrome,” Bec said.
With Ruby taking so much of her mother’s attention over the last few years, it wasn’t until recently Bec noticed Ruby’s twin brother, Riley, might be struggling with his own battle. While he hasn’t been officially diagnosed, Bec says Riley is showing signs of Autism.