Boy's rare condition means he can't stop smiling

Published November 20, 2014

A toddler has been diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, which means he can’t stop smiling.

Little Elliot Eland suffers from Angelman syndrome, a chromosome disorder that causes severe learning difficulties. It has also left him with a permanent grin on his face.

The 2-year-old always appears happy; he smiles and laughs as a result of the genetic condition, which affects fewer than 1,000 people in the UK.

“When we feel down, Elliot’s laughter keeps us all going," said Elliot’s mum Gale, of Preston, Lancashire, England. "You just have to look at him and his happiness takes over."

Gale, 41, and husband Craig, 34, discovered Elliot’s condition when he had trouble feeding as a baby.

Angelman syndrome was identified in 1965 by Dr Harry Angelman, a pediatrician working in Warrington, Cheshire in England.

The condition means Elliot will never be able to talk and may not be able to walk, either.

“Elliot will never be able to speak, but we’ve done a signing course in the hope that we’ll still be able to communicate with him," Gale said.

“It must be frustrating for him because he can understand what we say, but he can’t respond."

Actor Colin Farrell's son, James, 9, also has the genetic condition.

Click here to read more on this story from The Sun.

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https://www.foxnews.com/health/boys-rare-condition-means-he-cant-stop-smiling