Baby with the Skin of a 5-Year-Old: Tomm Tennent’s Incredible Story at 28
Some may remember that Tomm was born with enough skin to cover the body of a 5-year-old child. The boy came into the world so wrinkled that doctors said they had never seen anything like it before.
“When he was born, I was pretty shocked (…) I didn’t think a human, or a tiny baby, could ever look like that,” Tomm’s father, Geoff Tennent, told the television program 60 Minutes Australia in 2003.
Since his remarkable birth, it has been a long and unpredictable journey for Tomm and his family – but when we look at him today, in 2021, it’s hard not to shed a tear…
A unique child
When Tomm Tennent was born in 1993 in Australia, his parents quickly realized he was a special baby.
But before he was born, no one could have guessed that their boy would be described as a medical mystery. However, ultrasounds already showed that not everything was as it should be.
When Tomm’s parents heard this, they didn’t know if they should keep the child.
“We more or less discussed this, and we came to the conclusion that it simply had to be and we went on with it,” said Tomm’s father, Geoff Tennent.
Despite all the tests and examinations, no one could have imagined the severity of Tomm’s condition. His parents admitted they were shocked when they first saw him.
Tomm’s mother, Debbie Tennent, was taken aback when her son was placed on her chest in the delivery room.
“My heart was pounding, but at the same time, it was wonderful to hold him and cuddle him,” she said.
Medical mystery
The boy born wrinkled due to an excess of skin was a mystery to medical experts. They could not determine what caused Tomm’s excess skin, and as a result, they had no treatment or cure. Initially, they hoped he would simply “grow into his skin” as he got older.
But Tomm was so unique that researchers decided to invest time and money into studying his condition, in an attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding his condition.
In total, Tomm would spend several months in a medical center, undergoing various tests. The scientists faced a huge challenge. Since Tomm was the first recorded child born with so much skin, there was no precedent.
It was, of course, a very difficult time for the Tennent family. No parent with a newborn baby wants to spend months in the hospital, with all the consequences. Geoff and Debbie, however, gained strength when they looked at their strong baby. Tomm has always remained a sweet child, completely unaware of his condition.
Meanwhile, doctors continued to do everything they could to find a solution to Tomm’s medical issues. After further investigation, they finally discovered something unexpected. The experts observed similarities between Tomm’s appearance and the Chinese Shar Pei dog breed. This discovery led them to some answers.
Researchers found that Tomm’s level of hyaluronic acid, found in the skin, was 100 times higher than normal. Similar to Shar Pei puppies.
As the levels of hyaluronic acid decrease in Shar Peis as they age – resulting in a more normal skin – the doctors hoped this would also be the case for Tomm.
Fortunately, that turned out to be the case.
According to his doctor, Dr. Andrew Ramsden, the condition would likely disappear as Tomm grew older. And he was right.
As he grew up, Tomm faced some challenges. He was loved and famous in his hometown, but some people couldn’t help but tease him, especially when he went to school. Some children also didn’t want to play with him.
But he didn’t let this discourage him, and it wasn’t long before Tomm made many friends and was fully accepted and integrated at his school. Throughout these years, Tomm still looked a bit different, although it was no longer as visible as when he was born.
In 2003, he was asked if he was worried about how his friends saw him. Tomm replied: “Not really (…) because they are my friends and they don’t really care how I look.”
Tomm also told 60 Minutes that he “sees a friendly, loving person” when he looks in the mirror.
He continued: “Sometimes they (people) say I look cool, sometimes they say I look really cool, and sometimes they say nothing.”
Tomm’s parents have always been very proud of their special son.
“He is a good boy” (…) Look at what he has already achieved … he does well in school, he actually does everything well,” said his father.
His parents said that from the moment he was born, they knew they would never hide him. They sincerely believe that beauty comes from within and goes beyond the surface skin.
UPDATE: Tomm Tennent today
Today marks 28 years since Tomm was born and astounded the doctors. After the documentaries on 60 Minutes, incredibly many people wanted to know how the boy with the big smile and extreme skin was doing. However, there have not been many follow-up interviews with traditional media.
A quick look at social media still reveals little about Tomm’s current life. On his Facebook, it appears that he is married to the love of his life, Hannah. The couple seems happy together and they live in Frankston, a suburb of the city of Melbourne in Australia.
“Life is simple. You make choices and you don’t look back” is a quote that Tomm posted on his.
