Teenager Trapped in Baby's Body

Teenager Trapped in Baby's Body

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

filed under: health

Since she was born, 16-year-old Brooke Greenberg has barely grown beyond the size of a toddler.

If you've ever secretly longed for your baby or toddler to stay tiny forever -- be careful what you wish for. That dream of perpetual youth is a reality for the Greenberg family of Baltimore. Their daughter, Brooke, weighs 16 pounds and is barely 30 inches tall -- yet she was born in 1993. While other girls her age are celebrating their sweet 16 or attending school, Brooke, who suffers from a mysterious malady that no one to date has been able to diagnosis, only communicates through childlike babbling.

"There've been very minimal changes in Brooke's brain," Dr. Richard Walker of the University of South Florida College of Medicine told ABCnews. "Various parts of her body, rather than all being at the same stage, seem to be disconnected." Yet, the teenager has never been diagnosed with a genetic syndrome or abnormal chromosomes.

Brooke's family seems to take her condition in stride. Her father, Howard Greenberg, says, "Brooke is the nucleus of our family. What if Brooke holds the secret to aging? We'd like to find out. We'd like to help people. Everybody's here for a reason. Maybe this is why Brooke is here."

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A report was done on this woman on Friday’s “Dateline”. This woman, who in actual time, is 16, will never be married, have sexual intercourse(unless her parents say “Go get laid!”, and aapprove marriage), never speak a single word properly.

- Jim

Posted 06/30/09 09:59 AM

I don’t know how anyone could comment on not wanting their child to stay small. No parent could ever imagine having to go through what this family is. You take what you are given and love them. They are blessed to have a daughter that they are able to take care of and love and give her the best life possible.

- Madhatter04

Posted 06/30/09 10:00 AM

Help me win a scholarship!! Go to this page and vote for my pics!!! Feel free to add them to your myspace, facebook, etc. by using the links on the bottom of the page. Thanks!!! http://www.brickfish.com/rechoppy92

- Amanda

Posted 06/30/09 10:10 AM

To all the people with there dumb ingnorant remarks, had you watched 20/20 you would have seen the story about Brooke and maybe if you had some intelligence to understand what is going on you comments would not be so ignorant.

- Susan

Posted 06/30/09 10:12 AM

To those that ask if she is the baby in the picture or the other girl, use your common sense that God gave you, she would be the one on the left, there is no way the girl on the right weighs 16 lbs. I have a granddaughter that is 2 1/2 and is just like a small infant, she is special needs and we don’t look back on what she could have been we are just thankful for everyday God blesses us with her. She will wear diapers, feed from a bottle, and stay just like a baby for the rest of her life. We will love, take care of her and treat her that way. God bless all of you that are so judgemental may you never experience loving someone who in your eyes is not perfect.

- cindysm

Posted 06/30/09 10:19 AM

This is a very sad story. Yes, it is poorly written and doesn’t provide much detail, but those of you who are making light of this poor girl’s situation need to grow up. This girl will never play with Barbies; she can’t even speak yet!

- Abby

Posted 06/30/09 10:27 AM

i think this is a very sad story! all of u people who think this is stuipd u r stuipd! how would u feel if u had to stay a baby forever until u died and couldnt talk!! all of people are messed up!!

- angel

Posted 06/30/09 10:29 AM

i have to agree with angel some of the comments i read r pretty dumb and completly wrong! its like these peole dont know how to read? i feel pretty bad for the girl. im 12 and i couldnt imagine not being able to talk or have my sweet sixteen! that is a girl’s dream and she cant have her’s!

- marie

Posted 06/30/09 10:39 AM

I have a special needs child and from my personal experience (i may be speaking out of turn) I don’t think they have come forward for sympathy. It’s an extraordinary case and I think they are trying to show that despite the challenges they face they are truly blessed. In my situation, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world and I adore my children. If I had the chance to take back the journey I have been on because of my sons disability I wouldn’t change it for the world. I would rather have my son here with his challenges than not have him at all ANY DAY! Also, you make arrangements for a special needs child so that if you pass you know that they are taken care of. That is usually the first thing on your estate planning list.

- mommy2three

Posted 06/30/09 10:56 AM

Everybody love readin dirty news.

- Dumbassed Mik

Posted 06/30/09 11:00 AM

How is this NOT news? This does not happen a lot, hence, why it is news! Get a clue people!

- m

Posted 06/30/09 11:38 AM

“I know how Ridculous is spelled. Real or not this story is poorly written and real or not it does pull at the heart strings. - wolf” R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S

- KiraNJ

Posted 06/30/09 11:53 AM

I feel so sorry for the mother, the father doesn’t seem to mind though. I wonder if she really does carry the answer for eternal youth.

- chicago business suite

Posted 06/30/09 11:54 AM

I read this and I am utterly sad for this girl and the family. To be 16, and still look and act like a baby must be hard for the family. It is like the mother can’t see her daughter grow up to be a woman, because she still looks like a baby. I hope things go well for this family. I really do. And on another note. Someone named “Anonymous” said that there is something in the article about comparing the 16 year old baby and wearing clothes like a baby or something like that. I read through this article at least 10 times and I did not see that. Also, you all are grown adults and yet you all are fighting over a computer about a story posted on the internet. Act you bloody age. Not like your back in high school. -_-

- Rayven

Posted 06/30/09 11:56 AM

Dang that is so so sad

- peacantan

Posted 06/30/09 11:59 AM

Is that her on the left or right in picture? wtf

- aaron

Posted 06/30/09 12:05 PM

You should accept your children for who they are and not what you expect, and more importantly what others expect them to be. Article make sense to me.

- felms

Posted 06/30/09 12:06 PM

just because she doesn’t look older doesn’t mean she’s not aging. her appearance in know way suggests that her body functions will stay tolder-like endlessly.

- PFCnateB

Posted 06/30/09 12:11 PM

I knew a woman who had two sons that had this disease. One died at age 19, one at age 20.

- Gayle

Posted 06/30/09 12:16 PM

My daughter is 19. However, she looks 12 and functions much younger. Her growth and development are “abnormally young” in just about eery way. She is physically not developed like a young woman should be. I teach sixth grade, and most of my female students look more mature than my daughter. My daughter is also developmentally delayed and unable to talk. Her thought patterns are consistent with a pre-schooler. Her speech is that of a toddler — or younger. She is a sweet and wonderful person, not a perpetual child, but a disabled adult woman. I love her, love her, love her with every fiber of my being, but her future is my greatest concern.

- Joanne

Posted 06/30/09 12:19 PM