Baby Can’t Be Hugged: Baby Kiira Born With Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa, Can’t Be Hugged

A baby that can’t be hugged is making headline news this weekend. According to the Mail Online, baby Kiira was born in October with a rare condition called dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Said condition makes a person’s skin extremely sensitive to human touch, but also to just about anything else that it comes in contact with.

“This means that Kiira’s skin will blister or tear from rubbing, friction, scratching or, worst of all, even a hug,” reports the Mail Online.

Kiira’s parents have to be extremely careful with her because her skin is so sensitive, and this is something that will affect her forever. There is no cure for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

The baby that can’t be hugged is getting tons of attention after local and national media outlets decided to share her story with the world. According to HNGN, Kiira is only picked up after her hands and feet are bandaged. Her body must be wrapped in a very soft blanket which is free from tags and rough edges, before she can be held.

“A clothing tag or rough fabric or even me picking her up under her arm can cause blisters. I can’t hold her hand because it’s constantly bandaged. There is no skin-to-skin contact,” said Kiira’s mom, Kirsti. “I would never wish this on anybody, knowing she’s going to live a life of pain,” Kirsti added.

“It’s so rare there’s not a whole lot of awareness and therefore not a whole lot of money,” said Kiira’s dad, Jason.

According to the report, daily treatments for a person suffering from dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa cost about $20,000 a year.

If you’d like to learn more about Kiira, follow her journey, or make donations to her family, you can visit her website here.

Rare skin conditions tend to make people curious, hence why these stories are often reported on and read. Back in October, a male inmate with leprosy made news around the globe. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the man was diagnosed with the rare skin disease and was being treated at a hospital in Ohio. Leprosy is so rare that there are only 6,500 known cases of leprosy in America, and 200,000 worldwide. Unlike baby Kiira’s condition, leprosy is contagious… however, it is curable.

“[The patient] was treated, provided with antibiotics, and is no longer contagious. Once the course of antibiotics has taken effect, he should be cured,” said Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chief of Medical Services Stuart Hudson.

It is believed that the man is doing fine.

[Photo courtesy of Kiirakinkle.com]