Charlotte and Emma Garside | Charlotte Garside | Sources: Facebook.com/people/The Little Charlotte Appeal | YouTube.com/truly
- A little girl deemed the smallest girl in the world defied medical odds and survived passed the year she was predicted not to make it.
- As a result of being born with a rare condition, her parents had to dress her in doll clothing because that was the only attire that could fit her extremely tiny body.
- Defying her doctors' prognosis, she is now 15 years old and is being called "pretty."
A little girl by the name of Charlotte Garside was born with a condition so rare that it lacks an official name. Having the condition entailed that little Charlotte would not grow any taller than 2ft.
Charlotte's parents instantly knew she would be a one-of-a-kind girl, even outside her affliction. When she was two years old, just like other little girls, she adored playing with Barbie dolls, anything pink, and cuddly plush toys like her favorite teddy bear she would enjoy snuggling up to.
She weighed only 7lb 8oz and stood 58 cm tall at age two. This made her the world's tiniest female.
At birth, Charlotte weighed 1lb 1oz, making her much too petite to be able to wear normal-fitting baby clothes. She could not even fit specially made premature babywear.
The only type of attire that would fit her was doll's clothing, which her parents had to use to dress her. When she was on the cusp of turning three years old, she managed to grow big enough to stop wearing doll clothing.
However, she still had to wear newborn baby dresses as a toddler. As mentioned prior, medical professionals predicted that she would not grow past 2ft.
Charlotte was born with an atypical form of primordial dwarfism, which is the cause of her stunted growth and development. Her condition is unusually rare because it is exceptionally uncommon.
According to doctors, the type of symptoms present in Charlotte has never been seen together in one person. Thus, experts have grappled with giving the ailment an official term.
Little Charlotte's Remarkable Story Continues
According to her mother, Emma Garside, Charlotte has been a champion trooper when it comes to taking everything that comes with her condition in her stride. The little girl has been through a plethora of doctor's visits, tests, and scans but has kept strong throughout.
When Emma fell pregnant with Charlotte, she was already a mom of three other daughters - Chloe, Sabrina, and Sophie Garside. So when it came time to welcome a fourth baby, she and her partner Scott Garside were excited and did not expect anything to be unusual or worrying.
Emma reported that even the beginning stages of her pregnancy seemed normal. The weight gain, the ordinarily big baby bump, and the scans all seemed standard and typical. However, when she went into labor four weeks early - which, apparently, is a distinctive sign of primordial dwarfism, Emma began to get nervous.
She was only 24 weeks pregnant then and went from having a normal and healthy pregnancy to being told that something was wrong with her baby. Emma disclosed that she started to experience extreme pain in addition to the overwhelmingly emotional state she found herself in:
"I was in a lot of pain and in an emotional state. No one seemed to know what was happening."
Worse still, nobody knew what exactly seemed to be the problem apart from the possibility that her baby was premature. After eventually being told that her baby was more than likely going to be born no more than three or four pounds, Charlotte was delivered via an emergency c-section at 25 cm long and 1lb 1oz.
What came next was the ensuite of devastation for the mother of four. Emma recalled bursting into tears once she saw Charlotte for the first time because she was ill-equipped to deal with how tiny her baby was. Bbay Charlotte appeared extremely fragile as she lay wrapped delicately in bubble wrap, looking as though she might snap into two.
Charlotte's story is nothing short of remarkable. Having been born at just 1lb and not expected to live past one year, she has defied all odds set against her.
The heartbroken mother recalled how distinctively different her facial features looked and how emotional she had gotten once she got clearance to pick her up and hold her. Her baby's first dummy was no bigger than a 10p piece, and her nappies were the size of a credit card.
Charlotte's parents had to pick her up on a bean bag because of how small she was. At one stage in her life, Mama Emma reported that Charlotte could fit in her pocket.
Despite being told by doctors to prepare themselves for their baby's life not extending past one year, being the tough little fighter Charlotte is, she proved her doctors wrong. In 2012, she was enrolled in primary school, where she developed a unique, bold, and sassy personality with an inquisitive and bright mind. Eldest sister Chloe said the following about her little sister's tenacity:
"She might look like a doll, but she's made of strong stuff. She loves tearing around the house and being thrown in the air. When people first meet her, they are afraid she might break if they touch her - but she's quite scrappy and doesn't sit still for a second."
How Charlotte Looks Like Now at 15 Years Old
Charlotte has come an incredibly long way from where she first started as a baby, and her family is unbelievably grateful that she is a part of their lives. Her mom reported having known she was special from the moment she was born:
"Since the day she was born, she has brought something very special into all of our lives."
Now being 15 years old, Charlotte is rapidly growing more into her own identity and has grown leaps and bounds from the tiny 25 cm newborn she was. Her mother regularly posts pictures of her on her Facebook account to show supporters how well she is doing.
In all her pictures, Charlotte is always seen smiling and adorning a happy-go-lucky attitude. The little girl can now also wear clothes perfectly tailored to her increased weight and height.
On her 15th birthday, Charlotte was seen smiling happily at the camera with a full head of luscious red locks, and fans did not delay to express their joy in seeing how well she is thriving. Her mother posted a loving tribute to commemorate the special occasion:
"[I] would like to wish this amazing, beautiful, [and] inspirational lady a massive happy 15th birthday. You make me [and] your dad so proud every day."
Her parents are not the only ones elated to see her doing so well, and Charlotte has garnered the support and praise of many people who have been following her story. One fan complimented how pretty she looked while attending a special event at school:
"So pretty."
A screenshot of a comment complimenting how pretty Charlotte looks posted on Facebook on November 18, 2022 | Source: Facebook.com/The Little Charlotte Appeal
In the same picture, another supporter commented about wanting to know what Charlotte sounds like. The commentator claimed to be a longtime fan who has been following her story since the beginning:
"Charlotte's longtime fans want to hear her voice after watching her grow up all these years. What a sweet pea."
Charlotte's story is nothing short of remarkable. Having been born at just 1lb and not expected to live past one year, she has defied all odds set against her. She is currently set to celebrate her 16th birthday later this year, and her family could not be prouder of the young woman she is growing into today.
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