Miracle Baby Boy Born With Rarest Facial Condition

Little Eli was born with no nose, he is beleived to be one of 37 babies in the world born with such rare malfunction, Alabama, US.

Little Eli was born with no nose

Eli McGlathery was born with an extremely rare condition called complete congenital arhinia or nasal absence. The chance of being born with congenital arhinia is one in 197 million and there were only about 37 cases worldwide like his. It is a potentially life-threatening condition and requires the presence of a highly skilled neonatal resuscitation team at the time of delivery.

Eli McGlathery was born with an extremely rare condition called complete congenital arhinia

Eli Thompson is treated at the NICU at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile, Alabama

The nursing care for such children is especially important because the infant cannot eat and breathe at the same time without the normal nose function. Eli does not have an olfactory cavity, and cannot smell. At five days old, the baby boy had a tracheotomy tube to help him breathe.

The infant cannot eat and breathe at the same time

Eli does not have an olfactory cavity, and cannot smell

According to Eli’s mother, Brandi, there had been no indications that Eli wouldn’t be a healthy baby. Speaking about the moment she first saw her son she said, “When doctor placed Eli on my chest I pulled back, and said, ‘Something’s wrong!’ And the doctor said, ‘No, he’s perfectly fine.’ Then I shouted, ‘He doesn’t have a nose!'”

There had been no indications that Eli wouldn’t be a healthy baby

At five days old, he had a tracheotomy tube to help him breathe

“The rest of him is so cute, sometimes you don’t realize he doesn’t have a nose. We think he’s perfect the way he is. Until the day he wants to have a nose, we don’t want to touch him. We have to take it day by day. We’re going to do our best to make sure he’s happy,”  the loving mother added.

The chance of being born with congenital arhinia is one in 197 million

Troy Thompson tends to his son, Eli

Fortunately, Eli, who was born March 4 and spent weeks in the hospital finally returned home. His mother has set up a page to raise money for her son who may one day decide to have surgery to build him a nose. Presently doctors may have to wait until after puberty, as his palate also didn’t form all the way.