Abdul Khan was born without legs but can now walk and jump with Jaipur foot!

Abdul was born without legs. Here is how his parents made their son stand on his feet with Jaipur foot.

By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | | Updated: May 5, 2017 2:31 pm

Abdul Khan, an 8-year-old Mumbai boy, just like any other kid goes to school, fights with his classmates, plays with his friends and does all that an 8-year-old old can do. But unlike other 8-year-olds, this kid was born without legs and has had to go through a lot of trials and tribulations before he could walk on his legs with the help of Jaipur foot. The cause of Abdul s deformity was that his mother had an overdose of medication during her pregnancy, I got the opportunity to interview Abdul’s mum at Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust and here is the inspiring story of how Abdul’s parents changed their son’s life for a better future. Also Read - Human brain recognises prosthetic limbs are real hands: Study

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It was summer vacation, when Abdul’s mom, Parveen, went to her to a native village for her brother’s wedding. During that time her periods were not regular. She had fever and used to feel very cold, during evenings. Her family took her to a local doctor, who prescribed some medications, without even asking for any medical history. She felt okay although she had irregular bouts of fever. After a few days, she came back to her home in Mumbai and consulted Dr Farukhi. After listening to her personal history, he recommended a urine test but no medication. It was then when she got to know that she was pregnant. And after that followed a series of sonographies. She went for a sonography at 3 months, 7 months and 9th month, but was always told the kid is doing well and there is no need to worry.

2008 — The year when Abdul was born

On December 24, 2008, Abdul was born. Abdul’s father and his family were called by the doctor to reveal Abdul’s condition. Around 4 – 5 hours, after the family knew about it, Abdul’s mum got to know that her son is physically disabled and didn’t have both the legs. While many questions were raised about Abdul’s condition and the sonography reports, Abdul’s Mom feels that it might be due to the medication that she took from a local doctor at her village during her early pregnancy days, when she had pregnancy symptoms like fever and morning sickness.

Growing up

Abdul and Mom

‘Born with a deformity in both his legs, the future of this kid looked unsecured. It bothered us that the active child might lose his confidence as he grows older,’ reveals her mother. However, Abdul was a happy-go-lucky guy, who used to play with his brother and friends, when he was two. He used to crawl, walk and jump on his knees and be all over the place. Moreover, wherever he went out, he grabbed eyeballs with his charm and talkative nature. He never used to complain about his condition. However, sometimes he used to get angry and teary-eyed because kids at school used to call him names. But his mother always used to tell him that he was smart, intelligent and not less than any of those kids in any manner. This is undoubtedly true as Abdul, who is studying in 3rd std, is not only good at academics but loves to paint and read. His goal is to become a doctor or a scientist. And his dream is to meet his favourite Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

Journey — Walker to prosthetic leg to Jaipur foot

Few days after Abdul was born, Abdul’s parents took him to Dr Atul Bhaskar, Orthopedist, Surya Hospital, Andheri for a check-up. After looking at Abdul’s medical history, test reports and physical examination, Dr Bhaskar said that Abdul would need artificial limbs. However, as he was hardly a few months old at that time, Dr Bhaskar suggested the parents come back after two years as Abdul was too young. During this time (6 – 7 months), Abdul was recommended a walker to help him stand on his feet and walk as these are crucial years of development. However, Abdul used to crawl, walk and jump on his knees and hardly used the walker to walk at that time. Also, Abdul was taken for a regular check-up every six months, which involved having an X-ray and examination of his bone growth and development. Read about developmental milestones What to expect during the first year of your child s life.

When Abdul was 2.5 years, his parents took him to Dr Bhaskar (as suggested by him), who said that they can now go ahead with an artificial limb and also recommend a hospital. And accordingly, the doctor fitted wooden prosthetic legs. The sole of the prosthetic leg was made of wood, and the thigh part consisted of leather. He was recommended to walk for 25- 30 minutes every day wearing the prosthetic leg. However, when Abdul’s parents took Abdul for a regular checkup to Dr Bhaskar, he said that the prosthetic leg was not serving its purpose as it was not only heavy and uncomfortable but also impaired mobility. During this time, Abdul’s parents kept making rounds to different hospitals and got several medical references to look for a suitable prosthetic leg. However, every single visit to the doctors and hospital was in vain as either the treatment was expensive or it didn’t suit his needs.

Abdul khan 1

Tired of the failures, Abdul s parents were planning to give up and accept the fact that their child’s future is in the dark. It was during this time that Dr Bhaskar recommended Abdul’s parents about Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust’s initiative of providing free Jaipur foot to the needy. The best thing about Jaipur foot is that it is custom-made, light in weight, comfortable to walk and can be adjusted depending upon the need. Since the past two years, Abdul is using Jaipur foot, and there are no complaints as he can walk, sit, play and go to school with any pain, just like other kids. He uses Jaipur foot for at least 6 hours in a day (including 5 hours that he spends at school). However, at home and while sleeping, he is advised to take off the prosthetic leg as it might hinder the growth of the body. (You may also like to read about Miss India Wheelchair, Virali Modi — She s in a wheelchair and has lost weight. So why can t you?)

The story of this 8-year-old who can fight his physical disability with no complaints is a true inspiration not only for kids but also for adults. We wish that Abdul’s dream of becoming a doctor and meeting his favourite Bollywood actor comes true!

Image Source: Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust

Published : March 8, 2017 12:25 pm | Updated:May 5, 2017 2:31 pm

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