Oscar Passoni-Torres, Infant, Learning To Walk With Prosthetic Leg

Oscar Passoni-Torres, a 14-month-old infant is making that transition in life, from crawling to walking.

What makes Oscar’s story different? Oscar was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (or PFFD) and fibular hemimelia.

“That basically means he has a short femur bone. He is also missing his fibula,” Kari Passoni, Oscar’s mother, told CBS News affiliate KOTV in Tulsa, Okla.

ABC News reported that as a result of Oscar’s conditions, one of his legs is significantly shorter than the other and last month he was fitted for his first prosthesis, custom-made to fit over his leg.

Kevin Carroll, a board-certified prosthetist with Hanger Clinic, in Orlando, Fla., is working with Oscar and his family and said the toddler is enjoying using his new leg.

“Often times the child will reject it and will try to throw it away,” said Carroll. “When you take it off of [Oscar], he tries to pull it back.”

According to WTKR, doctors say kids with PFFD have multiple options: They can do nothing, have surgery to lengthen the leg or use a prosthetic.

“Oscar is very fortunate. He has great parents. They’re doing their homework and as a result, he’s going to just fly. Regardless of what direction they go in, this little kid is going to do incredibly well,” says Kevin Carroll with Hanger Prosthetics.

Carroll said that Oscar’s parents will soon be chasing down the 14-month old as he switches from crawling to walking.

ABC News reported that Oscar’s transition may happen quickly, since an anonymous donor gave the Passoni-Torres family $500 so that Oscar could practice walking with a gait trainer walker, basically a toddler-size walker that can help Oscar get used to his new leg.

Carroll said that as Oscar Passoni-Torres grows up, there is no reason he won’t be able to participate in any physical activities or sports other kids are participating in.

[Image via NeighborNews Oklahoma]