I was surprised to read a story about a newborn baby in India, born with two complete faces; she has four eyes, two noses, and two mouths, but each face is normal in and of itself, and is not otherwise deformed. The child does not yet have a name, as she is only two weeks old. Locals believe the infant is the reincarnation of the Hindu god Ganesh. However, the medical term for the condition is “facial duplication”.
What the doctors do not know is whether her tiny body is actually supporting a parasitic twin, since her parents have refused to allow doctors to perform a CAT scan or MRI to determine the extent of her deformity, even though they have offered to do so for free. The infant was born in a village of 100 people, where wages are about $2 a day, so all medical care for this child would have to be free, since they could otherwise never afford it.
What surprised me even more about this is that just recently, I wrote about another little girl also born in India, Lakshmi Tatma, who was also viewed as the reincarnation of a goddess. Lakshmi had been born with a parasitic twin attached; while she didn’t have two faces, she did have four arms and four legs.
The parents of Lakshmi allowed her to undergo surgery to correct her condition, and she is doing well; however, the newborn’s parents refuse to let doctors perform the tests necessary to determine whether she has only two faces, or if she also has double the amount of other bodily organs, such as a second spine and/or duplicated internal organs.
The parents believe that if she lives and thrives, or if she dies, it is God’s will. However, the parents seem to be greatly influenced by others. The father, Vinod Singh, who was interviewed only briefly before the interview was interrupted by the local doctor, admitted sadly that his daughter is not well.
“She is very normal” Dr. Brigdal Nagar yelled, pointing at an ABC News reporter and shoving Vinod Singh aside. “We don’t need the media here. She’s not an abnormal baby. It’s just that she has two faces. And she’s living a very normal life. And if she dies in the future, it’s as God wishes.”
The doctor later responded to ABC News that ” “She’s normal right now. But in the future she might face problems.”
While without tests the doctors have no way to give a prognosis, they seem to believe it possible that she only has two faces, and that she is otherwise normal.
“If everything below the neck is fine, and she could keep her head up, then she could walk around and live,” said Henry Kawamoto, a Los Angeles-based specialist in facial plastic surgery. “And if she did that, she really would be a goddess.”
I’m interested to hear others’ thoughts on this poor little baby’s situation. Should the parents have her undergo the medical tests, or are they correct to forego those tests and see what nature has in store for her? Are they being unduly influenced by the local doctor, who claims that she is “very normal”? Is it possible that she really is the reincarnation of a Hindu god? Is it just a coincidence that two children have been born in India and believed to be the reincarnation of a Hindu god(dess), in such a short period of time?
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That’s a hard one. I mean…let’s say there is a parasitic twin…could they really do anything for her? It seems to my admittedly limited knowledge that many times if the parasite twin is entwined like that then there isn’t much they can do.
However, I do think they should be able to undergo the tests. It isn’t as if they have to undergo any treatment for her, but if she is to die early, then those tests would be able to let them know and be able to prepare for it.
And yes, I think it is coincidence. In more developed parts of the world like here in the USA, chances are this would have been caught early and then pregnancy terminated since very few people are actually willing to have a deformed child. In countries like India a lot of women don’t get prenatal care (especially if they are poor like you said these people were) so there would be no one to know ahead of time.
i guess the proverb two heads are better than one isn’t quite all that true.
Anything is possible however it is more than likely that she does have a medical problem. She may survive but her parents should at least have medical tests done. In small villages religion has a larger role than in cities so perhaps the doctor is being a bit hasty. Leaving life up to fate; if her parents are willing to let her die then it is their choice even though I personally think it’s wrong. Like I said before, anything is possible so her and the multi-limbed girl may be Gods but it is unlikely. If it were true then I would be Shocked and thrilled at the same time even though I am not Hindu.
I tend to agree with you, Bobby. I think maybe (and of course I have absolutely no way of knowing) that the doctor in such a small village simply believes she will either live, or she will die, but that it’s not worth putting her and her parents through all of those tests when her chances of longterm survival may be extremely slim or maybe nonexistent. Perhaps the village doctor is trying to protect the parents, and help them come to terms with the (possible) eventual death of their only child.
I don’t know. I think it might be a good idea to at least do the tests, so her parents know what can and cannot be done for her, but on the other hand, maybe they are afraid to know.
When my son was a child, he was diagnosed with a large tumor in his jawbone; it was what is called on television a “face-eating tumor”. It was found during his first full dental x-rays, and all the dentist told my late husband was that we needed to take him to a surgeon. He gave him the x-rays to take to the appointment.
At the very moment I saw the x-rays of his jaw, even before the doctors had told us what it was, my knees literally buckled. I knew it was a tumor, and I was overcome with fear that my only child would die. I discovered later that the tumor had started even before he was born. By the time it was found, it had eaten all of his teeth on that side of his jaw, and was growing quickly.
Luckily, we live in the United States, where the tumor was removed and he no longer suffers its effects. He is now almost 21, and there is no outward sign at all of the fact that they had to remove his entire right lower jawbone to stop the tumor from spreading. We are lucky to live here. If we lived in an undeveloped country, no one would even have known he had it, until it started to deform his face. His life right now, if he was still alive at all, would be very different.
I cannot even imagine the heartbreak these parents are experiencing, and the sense of hopelessness. In the US, babies who are born with severe deformities are at least made comfortable, whereas this baby seems to just lie around being fanned to keep the insect away, with no medical care beyond the very basic care the village doctor can provide.
If something can be done for her, perhaps it should be done. At the very least, if she is in pain or otherwise suffering, as she seems to be based on the father’s statement, she could probably be made to suffer less by modern medicine, even if there is no cure.
It’s just heartbreaking. She’s a beautiful little girl, both of her little faces are lovely, and the idea of her dying without even trying to find out if she can be saved is heartbreaking for me.
Sadly it is the parents’ decision to undergo test and/or treatment. In America, I think the obvious answer is YES right away, but in rural places like where these people are from, it is not viewed that way. God bless them no matter which course they take.
Lasksmi, the former multi-limbed Indian girl is apparently doing fine now that she has undergone major major surgery. Both are medically and socially-interesting stories.
It is a very sad thing. Little knowledge is a dangers thing. Lets pray she will get good advice.
What do families like this child’s do? There are no answers. It would be great if someone was able to persuade them to allow some medical testing. There is a very thin line as to when a medical miracle becomes a goddess. Does such a line exist or is it in reality two parallel lines?
[...] duplicated — she has two nohttp://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/08/baby.heads.ap/index.htmlBaby in India born with two faces believed to be a Hindu god …Apr 1, 2008 … 2 Responses to ???Baby in India born with two faces believed to be a hindu god???. [...]
they are twins man they not god woooo they got 2 faces dosent mean thatz ther bagwan
i believe that this baby was born to be like other kids event that thier face a different God make her to be special so i believe that we should not hate her but to love her to God made us EGUAL event who we are so i think that HINDU it only a word but like i said we should thank God for the life of this special baby………………..
how is the baby now??
Helloo, ii Think She Is Beautiful In Her ow Little ways, Everyone iIs different in there owns little wayys + this little girl should be loved + treated the same as any other child, She need a lovingg familyy witch am sure she hass + god has made her to be special + carerd for in myy opioion she is beautiful + she is a wish come true
ii Think A Good name or thiss babyy girl should be Faith
Loveyouu xx
As soon as a child is born it has access to the fundamental, basic human rights. And those rights include access to medical treatment and a basic quality of life, food clothing medical etc. To deny this child medical testing that could potentially help her have a better quality of life is not only irresponsible but illegal in many countries. I don’t know about the laws in india, but this child deserves to have the best possible life and if her parents wont let her have a simple, harmless test they clearly don’t want whats best for her.
I believe that every human being was created by God and has a plan and purpose for their life. whether one was born with two faces or eight limbs, i believe God is ultimately in control. if this girl was born in America she would have most likely been murdered in the womb, but through God’s love she has been allowed to live to see the light of day. If she dies, we know she will go to live with Jesus, and that is all we can ask for. I pray that her parents will be persuaded to let tests to be run on her so that the world can learn more. However, if they refuse, don’t condemn them. Just pray for her life and the lives of those arround her. GOD BLESS THIS GIRL!
i feel so bad about that imagen the parents how much do they suffer =(
is the baby better yet?
Hi, Kimberly. As far as I know the child is still alive, but still has not received medical treatment for her deformity.
I agree with you, the parents must be suffering horribly. She’s a beautiful little girl, it’s just so sad that she was born with such a deformity.