'Plastic baby' born in Punjab's Amritsar

Amritsar: A woman here has given birth to what is known as a 'plastic baby', as per reports. The girl, a collodion baby, was born to a woman from Rajansansi area of Amritsar district. According to doctors, a collodion baby is one who has tight, waxy, shiny skin which resembles plastic. Further, the baby's mouth resembles that of a fish, and his/her eyes and lips are red hot. The reason behind such a condition is a rare genetic disorder known as Lamellar Ichthyosis. One in 600,000 people are normally affected by this genetic disorder. One of the doctors at the Guru Nanak Dev Medical College and Hospital said after examining the baby girl that she starts crying upon being touched. The baby resembles a rubber doll, the doctor said further, adding she has very slim chances of survival. According to doctors, the skin of a collodion baby starts developing cracks soon after birth and that the baby’s membrane peels off on its own within 15 to 30 days after birth.