FIVE siblings have been cruelly branded “aliens” due to a mystery condition which has left them with disfigured and swollen faces.
They also have widely-spaced eyes as well as overgrown cheekbones, nose bumps, and bad teeth.
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But their seven other brothers and sisters do not suffer from the condition leaving doctors puzzled as to what has caused it.
Since childhood Isaías, Graciosa, Preciosa, Antonio, and Miguelina Bautista have been mocked, called cruel names, and even told they were aliens.
Isaías said: “At one point, we even started to believe it.
“People would say that we were like that, extraterrestrials.
“Then later, we found good people who told us, no, you are human beings.”
As well as their facial deformities, the siblings also suffer from headaches, breathing difficulties, dizziness, and body aches.
They are from a poor family in the small community of Jínova de San Juan, Dominican Republic.
Despite desperately needing jobs, they struggle to find work, as employers discriminate against them due to their appearance.
They have also struggled to get a diagnosis for their condition, which medics suspect is leontiasis but have failed to give them a definitive answer.
Leontiasis, commonly called lion face syndrome, is an overgrowth of the cranial and facial bones resulting in a lion-like appearance.
Neurologist Dr Franly Vázquez describes it as a “very rare disease of which fewer than 40 cases have been reported worldwide.
“Affected patients have a buildup of calcium in the bones that form the face and skull.”
The unchecked growth of the Bautista siblings’ facial bones can severely compress nerves, leading to blindness, hearing disorders, intellectual disabilities, and other adversities.
In fact, Dr Vázquez believes it is incredible the siblings are still alive.
He told local media: “Unfortunately, there is no treatment to cure this disease; the treatment is aimed at improving symptoms.”
The only existing treatment involves exposing the overgrown bone, and chipping away pieces, or excising entirely where possible.
The Bautista siblings are seeking donations as they battle for a diagnosis and treatment.
Leontiasis and What Causes It
Leontiasis, also known as lion face syndrome, is a rare medical condition characterised by an overgrowth of the facial and cranial bones.
It leaves sufferers with swollen faces and an unusual appearance.
It’s important to note It is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of other diseases, including Paget’s disease, fibrous dysplasia, hyperparathyroidism and renal osteodystrophy.
Usually the condition gets progressively worse until it encroaches on the eyes the inside of the skull, the mouth and the sinuses.
This can lead to blindness, hearing disorders, intellectual disabilities, and other adversities.
Leontiasis can be a result of a number of different conditions including syphilis, tumors, and gigantism.
The most common cause, however, is an illness called craniofacial fibrous dysplasia.
This is a gene mutation that occurs in the early stages of fetal development.
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