KUALA TERENGGANU: Muhammad Raihan Jamaluddin is only seven-years-old, yet in his tender age, he's already sustained more than 50 broken bones.
"It's not even about whenever he falls down. Even when he's startled and jerks, it's enough to result in a fracture," said his mother, Norhayati Tiimat, 40, from Losong Haji Su, near here.
She said her son has suffered from a condition known as "soft bones" since birth. By her estimate, he has sustained more than 50 fractures so far.
She said it would happen every one to two months, affecting either the arm, hip or shoulder bones.
Norhayati said these three areas were sensitive and prone to breaking, even when her son is startled.
"He had his first broken bone when he was 40 days old. At the time, I panicked as he was so young.
"The anxiety has lessened somewhat as I now know that he is prone to fractures. However, we take great precautions to prevent it from happening.
"The last time he broke a bone was in January. Each time this happens, I would bring him to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) for treatment," she said.
She said Muhammad Raihan cannot go to school as he is too fragile. As such, he spends his days with her at her workshop where she sews shoes.
Norhayati said since her husband died four years ago, she was thrust into the role of the head of the family by being a cobbler to make ends meet.
She said her late husband, Jamaluddin Yaacob, who was a disabled person, died of heart disease.
She said each time her son suffers a fracture, she would bandage the affected area before bringing him to the hospital.
"My son can communicate like normal, and when he breaks a bone, he would usually cry out in pain.
"However, I was told there is no cure for his. I have to treat him like a baby. He cannot eat and drink on his own as he needs to be fed.
"He's also unable to walk," she said.
She said the bones in his arm, in particular, are so brittle that they can break at the same spot whenever he bumps into anything.
Norhayati said she had tried seeking traditional treatment for her son to set the bones when they broke but it didn't work.
"I'm fortunate that I'm able to work as a cobbler. At least he is in front of me all the time," she said.
She said the Welfare Department had visited them to check on their condition. They had advised her to send her son to school like any normal child.
However, Norhayati said she is in a dilemma as her son may end up with more fractures if he wasn't under her supervision.