STANDING at 32" tall and weighing just 21.4kg, Raudhatul could easily be mistaken for a toddler - but actually, she is 26 years old. Her mother Nurlalila, 50, of Aceh, Indonesia, had a completely healthy pregnancy. But when Raudhatul was around three, she mysteriously stopped growing - and has remained the size of a toddler ever since. Medical professionals have never been able to determine the cause of her short stature. When she was younger, she was treated for kidney disease, but aside from that, every test doctors have run has come back clear. Nurlalila explained that Raudhatul is only able to walk very short distances by herself as she tires easily, and also has difficulty speaking. And though she can understand everything going on around her, her personality has also been impacted by her mystery condition. As her mother puts it, she has a "toddler side" and an "adult side." "When she is cranky her attitude is like a toddler. If she is in that mood, she won't want to talk to anybody," said Nurlalila. Though the family have accepted Raudhatul's condition, and are incredibly proud of her, they would like to one day have an answer for what has caused her to forever remain the size of a toddler. Nurlalila added: "People often think she is a toddler when they see her. But they are often friendly. If they see her out they will greet her and ask where she is going. I am proud of her. When she laughs we are very happy."
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FunTranscript
00:00 He will never change.
00:03 He's like a baby.
00:05 His face is flat, his hands are short.
00:09 He'll always be like that.
00:11 My third child, Rauzah Tuljanah, is 2 years old.
00:16 I have six children.
00:24 Three boys and three girls.
00:27 Rauzah is my third child.
00:30 One year old.
00:32 We still think that she's growing.
00:38 She's three years old.
00:42 She's still growing.
00:45 Roda Tul from North Sumatra is less than a metre tall.
00:49 She looks not much older than a toddler,
00:51 but she is in fact 26 years old.
00:54 When she stopped growing after she turned three,
00:57 her mother took her to a number of doctors
00:59 to see if she could find a reason for why
01:02 Roda Tul had developed so slowly.
01:05 But so far, the condition has remained a mystery.
01:08 I was curious at first, but now I'm used to it.
01:12 As you saw, I can wear clothes,
01:21 take a bath, walk, and even dance.
01:28 I clean the house,
01:31 and if it's not clean, I clean it.
01:35 Roda Tul is able to do some things by herself,
01:38 but the condition has affected her ability to communicate
01:41 and move around properly.
01:43 She's been walking for a long time,
01:47 and her legs are hurting.
01:52 It's not good.
01:54 She can't walk.
01:56 How far can she walk?
02:02 Five metres.
02:04 If we hold her, she can walk 50 metres.
02:08 Why can she only walk five metres?
02:11 She said her legs are tired.
02:15 She can't walk, and she can't run.
02:19 Sometimes I'm sad,
02:24 I want to play, but it's hard to walk.
02:28 It's slow.
02:29 How do people react when they see Roda in front of them?
02:36 They ask me every time they see me.
02:40 "Where are you, Roda?"
02:42 Do people often think that Roda is still in Bali?
02:46 Yes, a lot.
02:48 A lot?
02:50 Yes, a lot.
02:52 It's not true.
02:54 We've been together for three years.
02:59 Today, the family are going to see the local doctor for a check-up,
03:05 and to see if she can shed any further light
03:07 on what might be the cause of her mystery condition.
03:11 What do you hope the doctor will say when she's examined?
03:16 If there's an answer, we'll be relieved.
03:20 We'll know what the result is.
03:25 Come in.
03:27 Her legs are loose.
03:38 Her legs are loose.
03:39 Her weight is...
03:41 How much does she weigh?
03:43 83.
03:44 83?
03:46 Yes.
03:47 81.8 kilos.
03:49 She's eating well.
03:53 Her blood pressure is good.
03:55 I've known Roda since she was a baby.
04:00 She's been growing up in a slow pace.
04:04 I don't know much about her chromosomes.
04:12 But she won't change.
04:16 She'll be like a baby.
04:18 Her face is flat, her hands are short.
04:21 She'll be like that forever.
04:23 She needs the support of her family to survive.
04:30 We're proud of her.
04:32 We can't do anything about it.
04:35 We're proud of her.
04:37 We can't do anything about it.
04:39 We can't do anything about it.
04:42 (upbeat music)
04:45 [Music]