"Superkid," 3, Moves Furniture, Weights

Boy Appears To Have Rare Genetic Condition; Studying It May Lead To Help For Other Muscle Woes

(CBS)  A three-year-old Michigan boy is super-strong.

He can move furniture, hold five-pound weights, and do sit-ups with ease.

But Liam Hoekstra, of Roosevelt Park, appears to have a rare genetic condition -- one that presents special challenges to him and his parents, Early Show Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said Thursday.

Ironically, learning more about it could lead to treatments for other muscle afflictions, researchers say.

Liam likely has a condition called myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, which means his body has very little fat and enlarged muscle fibers that make him really strong, Ashton says.

The first human case was documented in 2000 in a German boy.

As a toddler, Liam had very defined muscles, but now he doesn't look much different from any other normal child his age. He's actually a bit smaller, but much stronger, Ashton points out.

It was first believed that since the heart is a muscle, it could be affected by this condition. But we know now that's not the case, she says.

Because of his fast metabolism, Liam needs to eats constantly, as many as six meals a day to avoid a caloric deficit.

And, Ashton has been told, because he's so strong -- he falls, for instance, without getting hurt -- Liam's not learning the appropriate fear judgment of a child testing his or her limits.

But scientists actually hope to figure out how to mimic his condition, she adds, to help treat people suffering from muscle-wasting diseases such as cancer, heart failure and HIV:

To see the The Early Show segment on Liam, click here

To learn much more about him, see many photos, and watch video of him, click here.

[Twiggymarie]

Hi, I am new here, I have to say that, that child looks so healthy! and he does look strong to be a three year old! yet if it's not broken, don't fix it!!!! I am glad to be here to comment on this, Thanks!

[lenmichaels]

The only comment I have to make is..I'm still having trouble trying to view the video's where the audio keeps breaking up. Is the trouble at my end OR yours. I had trouble understanding what the doctor said about the kids condition because of the audio breakup.
lenmichaels

[LOL_AT_CBS]

i agree with steve-in-kc- though i got around the "signing up" with cbs stage- thank you "bugmenot"

[aka_KJB]

This just in: parents changed name from "Kent"..... rocketship discovered in root cellar.... Luthor family demands inquiry.......

[steve-in-kc]

Let me translate this for you. "So far there have been only 100 cases." (translation: Hopefully tomorrow there will be 100,000 and we can get some government money).

How many kids have to go around being strong, before somebody does something?!! Won't you help?

[steve-in-kc]

Yes, the only thing unusual about this story is that it spent more time on the host/guest than on the child. Actually, I take that back...not unusual at all.

[steve-in-kc]

I can't believe I actually created a CBS account for this, but this is the dumbest story I have ever seen. I kept waiting for him to pick up a pool table, by the way he was described. What exactly was it the child was doing, besides standing on something, doing some sit-ups, sleeping in a toybox, standing outside on the deck in some snow for a picture? Gosh...that's incredible. Just another example of how liberals think and how there is yet one more affliction "Little Johnny" can have, so the whole world has to stop and do something for him. Newsflash! Your kids aren't as special as you think.

[Yougottabekiddingme]

If evolution is a glacially slow process that periodically exhibits quick steps via mutations, how are we to know that unusual alleles such the phenotype present in the case of this child are not, in fact, forward movements in the evolution of the species?
Can we presume that we know, from our own present state, what **** sapiens of the 41st century will be like?
Think about it.

[hazmatbernie]

BAM! BAM! BAM-BAM-BAM!

[rob-grant]

I use to be the same way at 3 years old. I later developed heart problems because the heart muscle developed faster than the rest of my body. All of the heavy activity cause my heart to enlarge at an early age, and now it continues to do so on its own without exercise.

[PGHGal]

barnesmoke, you are a christian and a prick. Its obvious your prickiness comes first....

[misskitty27]

OMG! My kid, 2.5 yr must have that! (lol) He can push his 70 lbs sister in a laundry basket, carry two gallons of milk (each 8lbs a piece)...I better get him help. Gimmie a break!

[rugbyslick]

My son too was born 4 months premature and he is now 16 months old. He can lift a 5 lb Kettlebell with ease with one hand and walk with it. Big deal!

[BD66]

Folks - this is CBS and the Messiah is out of the country ( 5 hr difference from NYC to London). They are letting journeymen fill the bill while the get caught up on the cocktail scene in the city. Covers the human element part. Meaningless. Over produced. Lacking details. Cloudy at best. Misses the mark on stimulating an emotion.

Perhaps "senior" staff didn't actually leave the zip code ... hmmm?

[Fidlin1]

I use Kryptonite with my kid, fits nicely into his diaper. Keep him away from spinach though. Not only do they get stronger but they start smoking pipes along with a lot of mumbling.

[wolffie6913]

My just turned four year old places both feet up on each interior side of a door frame, places his hands in the same position and alternating hands and feet, climbs up about five feet off the ground...hangs there laughing with hands and feet pressing into the door frame for about 30 seconds, and then says 'watchit' and takes his feet away and lets them hang down straight under him and does this 'iron cross' thing like the Olympic male gymnasts for about 1 minute. Talk about strong. Then he calls 'momma get me down'. He still needs me. :)

[Bluemeani9]

What's the big deal? The kid didn't do anything "super"? My 3 year old can hang from a bar and climb a rope...oh, he can also do a bunch of lame sit ups. He can also climb up my counters, and lift himself up on top of the fridge to get the cookies he's not supposed to have...big deal. This looks like a bunch of hype. The only reason only "100" people have been diagnosed with this nonsense is probably because they just invented the term "mystatin" a month ago. Trust me, in a year it will be an epidemic and Pzier will have a pill for it for $200 a pop.

Really: anyone have kids who can't do what that kid was doing? Give me a break.

[cattleya721]

If this child is strong, then my 2 year old is the Hulk. He picks up 5lbs weight and moves furniture like nothing.

[jsquizzer]

I find this story very ironic. Not the subject matter (super strong kid) but how the journalists are reporting it. The medical correspondent and the reporter both said, "a child needs to learn his/her limits within the scope of their body" (paraphrase). And yet, more and more playgrounds and childs play areas are being softened up so kids actually DON'T learn their limits... because these play areas are 'hurt-proof'. This kid is no worse off than any other kid at the local neighborhood playground.

[jpmba]

I have four daughters. six months, two, four and nine. Reading this story makes me think about my four year old. She does not look like she will be as tall as her other sisters and she is strong. I mean she picks up fifteen pound weights and does push ups like a marine. My oldest at this time looks like she will be pushing five foot ten inches. The four year old looks to be on the road to five foot four inches. With my youngest two time will tell me more.