A toddler born without arms or knees could soon take his first steps thanks to pioneering surgery.

Nicholas Arredondo, from Dallas in Texas, is set to undergo two operations which could cost a total of $60,000 in August. The two-year-old’s parents, Christina and Christopher Arredondo, have tirelessly saved and fund-raised to pay for the procedure, which they hope will help give their son the same opportunities as any other child.

Nicholas has a rare genetic condition which meant several of his bones did not develop properly – or at all – during pregnancy. The condition, which affects fewer than 1 in 100,000 births, has resulted in Nicholas being born without arm bones, with his hands connected directly to his torso.

He also has no knee joints, and his only chance of being able to walk is with pioneering surgery in Florida, scheduled for August this year, where specialists will build him artificial knee joints. But the procedure will involve two major operations at an estimated cost of $20,000 to $30,000 each, creating a significant medical bill that mother-of-two Christina is asking for help to cover.

Stay-at-home mom Christina, 42, said: ‘Nicholas is missing his arms completely and his legs do not extend, they are locked in one position because he has no knee joints.

‘To get around, he just scoots along on his bottom and he is just getting faster and faster. He has surprised us with how much agility he has now. He self-feeds and has learned how to use spoons and grab on to things.

‘When he was born we definitely went through a grieving process and learned that you can’t assume life will be a certain way.

‘I suppose I had to completely re-design my idea of what motherhood would be like after having Nicholas.

‘He is very different and we feel so strongly about giving him the opportunity to walk, although it involves major surgery and a high price tag.’

‘It would be a dream for us to see him take his first steps.’

Nicholas was born by cesarean-section in October with a condition called Thrombocytopenia-absent radius syndrome (TAR), which is characterized by the absence of bones, often several, in a baby’s arms.

TAR also causes a shortage of blood cells, meaning those diagnosed with the condition can face a serious risk of excessive bleeding and complications, meaning Nicholas has to have regular blood transfusions.

Christina said neither she nor IT administrator Christopher had ever heard of TAR before Nicholas was born. They knew he would experience issues with his limbs, but had no idea how serious those would be.

Sharing how she came to terms with her son’s special needs, Christina said: ‘Before he was born we had no idea what he would look like, but we had time to prepare ourselves for when he did arrive.

‘I didn’t get to see him in the operating room and I only actually saw him for the first time in a photo Christopher was able to take for me.

‘When I did see him and hold him for the first time I just found myself thinking, “What do I do now?”

‘This was my first experience of having to live with and care for a baby with complex medical needs. It was hard and scary to deal with at first, of course.’

Ever since birth Nicholas has had speech and occupational therapy to help him learn to live with his limb differences, as well as ongoing blood transfusions to help protect him if he gets injured.

Christina and Christopher have had to adapt their family home, where they live with their eldest son, Nathan, three, to accommodate Nicholas’ complex needs.

The areas where the toddler spends most of his time playing with toys are fitted out with protective padding and safety foam.

As well as learning how to shuffle about and feed himself, Nicholas also has a touch-screen tablet which lets him play and watch TV.

Christina has said Nicholas is able to live a happy life like any other two-year-old but believes he would have a better quality of life, both now and as he grows up, if he’s one day able to walk.

She said: ‘He surprises me constantly and he can now use his hands very well. He can even use a phone to ring dad so he is hitting milestones that no one thought he would ever meet.

‘He has figured out his own little ways to live his life and he has had to adapt. He really is one of the lightest and brightest spirits I’ve ever known, he is phenomenal.

‘Once we were over the initial surprise when he was born he has made all of our lives full of joy.

‘He has so much life and joy and now I don’t know what we’d do without him. It’s been an experiment of love for us.’

Christina and Christopher will travel to Florida in mid-July for the first of Nicholas’ two major surgeries on August 4. The first will see specialists insert metal rods into Nicholas’ legs from the hips to the ankles before a second procedure is carried out to construct artificial knee joints for him.

The hope is that the life-changing surgery will allow Nicholas to walk unaided and take his first steps by summer.

Before reaching then, the family will have to live in Florida for six months and Nicholas will need many months of physical therapy to help him learn to walk.

Christina said: ‘He’s going to need adaptive braces and a wheelchair and all sorts afterwards, so there is going to be a lot to pay for.

‘We haven’t set a goal and hope to raise as much as possible. The insurance will pay for some but we’re just not sure how much yet.

‘It really would be a dream for us to see him walk. We are holding out so much hope for him.’

Source: Metro