Boy born with extra thumbs 'proud' as they help him play video games better than pals [photos]

https://ift.tt/32tY5dl

A 12-year-old born with an extra thumb on each hand says they help him climb trees, catch balls and play video games better than his friends.

Faizan Ahmad Najar was born with congenital condition hexadactyly - meaning six digits - which affects just one in around 1500 births.

The condition means the schoolboy has two extra thumbs, one on each hand.

But Faizan does not let the extra digits hinder his daily activities - in fact, he is proud of them, saying they give him an advantage over his friends in certain activities.

Faizan says having twelve fingers means he's better at both cricket and consoles.

The youngster says the extra thumbs help him play video games, scramble up trees faster than his friends, and have seen him excel at cricket, his favourite sport.

And among his friends, he is known as 'Krrish' - the star of a popular Bollywood superhero film series.

Faizan, from Sheeri Baramulla, in the Kashmir region of northern India, said: "I feel proud about it. There is no shame - it is God's will.

"Sometimes, but not often, I think, 'Why only me?'. But overall, I have some good friends in school who keep me from feeling that way."

Faizan's condition, while uncommon, affects approximately one in 1,500 births.

Senior doctor Mushtaq Ahmed said: "It is a not-so-common birth defect. Even if parents are 'normal', this can still happen to their offspring."

But Faizan is determined not to let the defect hold him back.

He said: "I want to become a doctor. I want to treat patients who are born which such malfunctions, so that nobody can bully or taunt them.

"Luckily, I have not faced much of that as I live in the countryside."

Faizan's family are also proud of his condition and how well he has handled it.