A little girl who began having trouble hearing in the months leading up to her second birthday has been diagnosed with an ultra-rare genetic condition.
After mum Joanna Ducker became concerned that her youngest child Lexi had stopped responding to sounds, she took her for tests.
But it wasn't until two years later that the little girl was diagnosed with Barakat syndrome - a condition known to affect just 200 people in the world.
In addition to causing hearing loss in 96 per cent of people who have the syndrome, it can also lead to kidney problems and low levels of calcium, a mineral needed for strong bones.
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