WUHAN, China -- certified medical records at Tong Ji Hospital in Wuhan, eastern China show that Wu Kang officially measures up at just 68cm tall, or just short of 2ft 3ins - setting the new world record for the Smallest Man.
"We knew he was small but we didn't understand just how small until we started to look things up on the Internet," said Mr Kang's dad, Wu Jianxiang. Now the 22-year-old, who could easily be in the wrong for a child, has a big choice to make, because doctors are able to give him a growth hormone.
It means he’d lose the world record title, but would be able to lead a more normal life.Pediatrician Luo Xiaoping said: "Although he is 22 years old, his height is about the same as a nine-month-old, and his bone age is the equal of a one-year-old. It would have been better if he came to see me earlier.
"But it is probable to reverse some of the damage with human growth hormone. He could grow up to 12cm a year.” The previous Guinness world record for the Smallest Man was held by fellow Chinese citizen He Pingping who is 74.61cm tall, more than two inches taller than Kang.
Mr Kang suffers from panhypopituitarism, which decreases the emission hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.
Now Kang's family say they're leaving the final decision to him. "It is something only he can choose. Fame is tempting but he would dearly love to be normal for once in his life," said his father.
"We knew he was small but we didn't understand just how small until we started to look things up on the Internet," said Mr Kang's dad, Wu Jianxiang. Now the 22-year-old, who could easily be in the wrong for a child, has a big choice to make, because doctors are able to give him a growth hormone.
It means he’d lose the world record title, but would be able to lead a more normal life.Pediatrician Luo Xiaoping said: "Although he is 22 years old, his height is about the same as a nine-month-old, and his bone age is the equal of a one-year-old. It would have been better if he came to see me earlier.
"But it is probable to reverse some of the damage with human growth hormone. He could grow up to 12cm a year.” The previous Guinness world record for the Smallest Man was held by fellow Chinese citizen He Pingping who is 74.61cm tall, more than two inches taller than Kang.
Mr Kang suffers from panhypopituitarism, which decreases the emission hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.
Now Kang's family say they're leaving the final decision to him. "It is something only he can choose. Fame is tempting but he would dearly love to be normal for once in his life," said his father.
source:worldrecordsacademy.org
