Finn was born on 4th February 2005, seven weeks early and weighing 2lb 4oz; she could fit her in the palm of a hand during the first few weeks. At 9 weeks she was able to come out of hospital weighing 3lb 5oz, she also had a tube which passed through her nose and into her stomach to help her eat.

After 19 months Finn had a gastrostomy tube put directly into her stomach which she still has today to help her supplement her calorie intake (as she only eats very small amounts of food).

When Finn was 2 years old she had numerous tests to find out the cause of her slow growth, at this time we also began to research various growth disorders and with help from other family members we came across a website called primordialdwarfism.com. In the links section of the site was a link to a medical journal which contained research about the disorder. In the journal there was a picture of a little girl who was practically identical to Finn.

The name of this disorder is Majewski Osteodysplastic Primordial Dwarfism (MOPD) Types II (commonly known as Primordial Dwarfism); it is a very rare condition of which there are around only 60 people in the world suffering from and only 4 diagnosed cases in the UK. There are many issues associated with mopd type 2 including brain aneurisms, scoliosis of the spine, loose hip joints and the main one being very short in stature with the average size of a fully grown person being 3ft tall. Many adults suffer from similar conditions but because of Finns size some of these issues could potentially be fatal.

Finns diagnosis followed shortly afterwards from a specialist in Canada. It was a huge relief to have a solid diagnosis as it helped us become more aware and better understand Finns needs for the future. We are now able to have brain scans every year to reduce the risks of aneurisms and also hip and spine x rays to keep an eye on her joints and if necessary, treating any discomfort she may have.

Finn is now a bright and independent 3 year old. She loves Peppa Pig, the colour pink, having stories read to her, dressing up and despite her size has developed a big personality and character.
Finn has achieved good communication skills and is at the same level as other children her age. She has begun to face issues related to her size which is 2ft 1 inch and 14lb in weight.

Some of the problems that Finn has started to come across are getting up stairs as her legs are not long enough for the steps and she needs help to come back down. To give her independence, she also needs the light switches and door handles lowered to enable her to reach them. Another big issue is the size of the toilet and sink as Finn needs smaller versions of both of these.

This year specialists have found proteins and hormones that are missing in people with mopd type. At the convention for small people in America this year, they are hoping to get as many people as possible together to help further the research and we would love Finn to be able to take part.

Only one Primordial Dwarf has been known to live to 46 years old and it seems the average is around 30 years.

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