Little But Special: Real Life Tom Thumb, 5, Is Under 3ft Tall

He has been called the real life Tom Thumb - a five-year-old boy who is only 2ft 11in tall.

Ryan Cahill is thought to be the only person in the world with a combination of two medical conditions that make him extra small.

Ryan, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, is much smaller than his little sister, who is just a toddler.

He was diagnosed with genetic disorder Bloom’s syndrome last summer, which has combined with another mystery condition to make him small in stature.

Ryan is unable to produce a growth hormone so needs to have regular injections.

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He struggles with his hearing and his eyesight - he has to wear glasses - while he cannot stay in direct sunlight, wearing sunglasses, hats and sun screen all year round.

Ryan with his step-sister Jade and sisters Lisa-Marie and Lacey.

He is so small he can be picked up by little sisters Lisa-Marie, three, and Lacey, two - as well as his step-sister Jade, 11.

His mother, Corrie, 28, buys Ryan’s school uniform from specialists in the US.

But despite his size, Ryan has a big heart - he’s always keen to make friends and hand out hugs.

“Ryan weighed four pound eleven ounces when he was born, he was smaller than a premature baby, we had to buy dolly clothes because premature ones were too big,” said Corrie.

“He got his clothes wet recently and we dug out a six to nine pair of dungarees that fit perfectly, we didn’t tell him they were six to nine months.

Ryan, right, with his little (bigger) sister, Lisa-Marie, three.

“We pay £56 for school trousers from America and have to roll up and stitch his jumpers, every bit of clothing has to be altered.

“When he first started potty training we bought him Build-a-bear teddy boxers which he still wears today.

“If he’s got a point to prove he will prove it, his whole personality is bigger than him, it shines through.

“Like most children he can have a bad attitude, he’ll stomp upstairs, slam the door and scream the house down.”

Corrie had been told she would never have children again following the tragic death of her twins Phoebe and Jaden in 2007.

Phoebe was stillborn and Jaden died of cot death aged 12 weeks.

When doctors spotted that Ryan had stopped growing in the womb at 20 weeks, she was advised to have an abortion.

“I told them I wasn’t getting rid of my miracle baby,” said Corrie.

She added: “Ryan gets upset because all his sisters can pick him up, Lacey can lift him up and throw him over her shoulder.

“He has trouble reaching things and he can’t play for as long as the girls because he gets tired.

“I never knew children grew so quick until I had my daughters, it’s exciting to watch two different sides of it.

“Jade loves him to bits and the younger girls are best friends with Ryan.”

Now in his second year at Walliscote Primary School, Ryan has a higher chair to reach his desk and uses a special buggy for school trips to conserve energy.

(Pictures: SWNS)