Polegate family tell of ordeal of baby with rare form of brittle bones

Nicole Natti’s life was turned upside down when she gave birth to Natarlia in May 2022. Natarlia has osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), otherwise known as brittle bone disease.

There are 21 types of the condition which are categorised as either mild, moderate or severe. Natarlia is only the fourth person in the world to have type 10, which she has severely. Her bones are extremely fragile and highly vulnerable to fractures.

Nicole said: “We’ve had to keep her in bubble wrap – we don’t let people breathe on her. When she was born, her whole body was broken from the neck down – she had so many breaks the doctors couldn’t count them.

“She is so breakable that she can sneeze and break a bone. For the first year of her life we never went out with her. It’s not worth letting anyone hold her – if you pick her up incorrectly, she’ll break a bone.”

Natarlia was born with countless breaks (Image: Supplied) Nicole and her husband Peter, who live in Polegate, own their own painting and decorating company, but have been unable to run the business since Natarlia’s birth. Natarlia is one of five children, including twins who have autism and ADHD, so life is challenging for the couple. “mentally it has destroyed us,” Nicole said.

At two and a half, Natarlia weighs a mere 14 pounds and still wears 0-3 months clothing. Although doctors have said Natarlia will never walk, she has begun to sit up and roll around and Nicole said, “she pushes herself to levels she’s not supposed to”.

Natarlia was admitted to Hastings hospital after breaking her femur (Image: Supplied) On September 22, Natarlia was admitted to Conquest Hospital in Hastings after she broke the biggest bone in her body: her femur. She has since been transferred to Brighton Hospital.

Nicole said: “It’s devastating – like someone has kicked me in the stomach and ripped out my heart.”

The “horrendous” ordeal has left Natarlia in a spica cast, as she is “too weak and little” for surgery.

Nicole is now raising funds for a padded sensory room to be installed in the garden in the hopes of providing a “space space” for her daughter.