IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT
"We just say God made him special."
At 6 years old, Wyatt Shield is already a published author with a message to children on how to love and accept others for their
differences.
The Kansas native was born with 12 fingers, six on each hand. The condition is called polydactyly. He detailed his own story and medical journey in "Wyatt’s Big Adventures with Shriners"
Wyatt described having extra fingers as "tough" although he says he can’t remember because they were surgically removed when he was one year old.
Wyatt’s mother, Amanda, said when her son was born in February 2016, there was no indication he would have a birth defect until he entered the world via emergency C-section.
"I asked my husband ’10 fingers and 10 toes?‘ and without missing a beat, he said ’Yup’ and it wasn't until we got back to recovery...he said ’So, he has extra fingers." "I was like ‘OK, awesome.’ I mean he’s here. He’s healthy," she continued.
Amanda described the defect
as an extra thumb on each hand containing a full bone with a fingernail. Wyatt also had an extra bone in the top knuckle of his thumb, which could’ve developed into another finger. Doctors told the mother they were puzzled over Wyatt’s extra fingers even suggesting genetics could be a factor...read more
