Worlds Strongest Baby
Facts About The World’s Strongest Baby
When you hear the words, the world’s strongest baby, what comes to mind? Is it an image of a toddler holding up a bar bell or lifting his big brother over her head? Well, there is a condition, which is very rare, but that can give a baby super strength. This condition is known as myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy and there is not much known about the disease.
However, there is a boy who has the disease and he has 40% more muscle mass than the average toddler his age. He can perform vertical sit-ups, pull-ups, and other amazing feats that Olympic gymnasts struggle to perform. The boy’s name is Liam Hoekstra and he had perfectly defined abs at the age of 3 years. Because of his condition he eats huge quantities of food, which is something you would expect from the world’s strongest baby.
Liam was born four weeks premature and he had several problems at birth, including a small hole in his heart, severe eczema, enlarged kidneys, extreme lactose intolerance, and sever acid reflux that had him throwing up several times per day. At two days after birth, Liam could stand up and hold his weight, while holding onto an adult’s hands for balance. Considering that most babies at two days old can’t even hold up their own head, Liam’s adoptive parents knew something was different.
In just a few months Liam’s heart and kidneys healed, but it was 18 months before he stopped throwing up. Liam was walking at 5 months, climbing the stairs at 8 months, and even punched a hole in the wall when he was throwing a tantrum. One of the things his parents took notice of was how he fell. Whenever Liam fell backward he would always land on his bum because he had the strength in his stomach muscles to catch himself before he went back and hit his head.
Liam has caught the attention of many, including the Johns Hopkins researchers. Through genetic research, they are hoping that Liam’s condition might shed some light on a treatment or cure for muscular dystrophy. They are currently running a study of 100 adults with the condition to see if they can find any conclusive results.
In the mean time, Liam’s parents are trying to keep up with feeding him enough protein and trying to ensure he has enough fat. Since his body holds no fat, the concern is he won’t get enough for his brain and nervous system to grow properly. Being the world’s strongest baby hasn’t really changed life for Liam. Despite having lower than average, height, weight, and head circumference, he is still a normal boy, even though his dad has big dreams of him as a football star.