Meet the 19-year-old teenager trapped in the body of a child (Pics)

The teenager trapped in the body of a child: 19-year-old suffers rare growth disorder which stops her growing bigger than a toddler

At first glance, she may look like a toddler. But Girija Srinivas is in fact 19 years old.

She suffers from a rare medical condition called congenital agenesis of the bones, which has led to her body failing to develop and grow properly.

As a result, she is just 2.5ft and weighs a mere 12kg, the same weight as an average two-year-old.

Miss Srinivas cannot sit up because her head is so heavy in comparison to her body, and she is unable to lift anything beyond a cup of coffee.

Doctors have also warned that there is a chance she could suffer a fracture if she tries to rotate her neck quickly, and she also has breathing problems. Her condition means she struggles with even the most basic of household tasks and must be cared for by her mother.

But Miss Srinivas has defied the odds and is carving out a career as an artist, dreaming of being independent enough to look after her parents financially.

She said: 'I don't like anyone pitying me, I have shown everyone what my capabilities are.

'My mother helps me with eating and other normal things. But while I'm painting and drawing I need nobody's help. I do it myself.

'I sell five to six paintings per month, which makes me between 8,000 and 10,000 rupees (£86-108).

'I have to look after my parents and I need to have the financial capacity to do that.'

Miss Srinivas lives with her family in Bangalore, where her father is a tailor and her mother devotes herself full-time to her care.

Her mother, Nanda Baayi, said it is difficult to see her daughter with this condition.

She said: 'We faced difficulties from the beginning. Even now, it's tough for us to look after her. There is immense pain in our heart.

See more pictures  Srinivas bellow....