Mom on a mission to help son whose rare condition means he can’t bend his arms or legs

He sits snugly on his mom’s lap, eyes glued to the coffee cup in front of her. With a loving smile Michanka van Zyl scoops some milk froth with a teaspoon and feeds it to her son who eagerly slurps it up.

Even though he’s a year old, Elijah can’t lift a spoon to his mouth by himself. In fact, his mother explains, he can’t move anything towards his mouth so she’s taught him to lean forward and eat his food straight from the bowl.

It’s the only option for the little boy, who isn’t able to do things other kids his age take for granted.