A baby who was born without the top layer of skin and six weeks premature has miraculously survived, despite doctors saying he might not make it.
Kaiden Jake Shattock was born with a condition that meant he was born with only 2 per cent of his skin - enough to cover his face.
But the brave little lad, now six months old, has managed to pull through and gets stronger every day.
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Jessica Kibbler and Jake Shattock, from Leamington Spa, were just 19 years old when Kaiden was born, and say he was in so much pain nurses burst into tears.
The 2lb 7oz baby was so delicate he couldn't be held for ten days - and even then they could only cradle him using a mattress.
Looking back, Jessica, now 20, said: "When the nurses took us into the room to introduce us to Kaiden for the first time, he was red raw, like a piece of uncooked meat.
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"There we were, two 19-year-old new parents, with no experience of raising children, and our first was born very weak and very ill.
"Everyone was silent, and everyone was distressed and upset.
"Jake and I cried, but even the nurses left the room and cried their eyes out because they didn't know what to say to use and didn't know how else to help him."
At the time, doctors warned the couple that he 'probably wouldn't survive' and as a result of the lack of skin, he's since battled numerous conditions, including necrotising enterocolitis, congential herpes, dermolysis and bronchiolitis.
It took six weeks for him to finally grow skin, and during that time he couldn't wear clothes for fear it would tear his delicate body.
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There had been no clues during Jessica's pregnancy about Kaiden's skin condition, which Jessica described as 'like a full body burn or scarring'.
"My first reaction was total shock, to be honest," said Jessica.
"He was this beautiful, tiny thing - and Jake and I looked at each other silently, not knowing how we were going to take care of him.
"We couldn't even him lift him properly to begin with because he was in so much pain and required life support.
"The doctors told us twice that he probably wouldn't survive, but we decided that we'd do absolutely everything we could to pull him through."
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Kaiden was kept in neonatal and intensive care for six weeks and didn't go home until he was 11 weeks old.
And along with his other ailments, the tot has also been diagnosed with hearing impairment in both ears.
Incredibly, he has managed to grow back his epidermis and earlier this month had his first skin graft and will have at least four more during the next 12 months.
Though he has a long road ahead of him, Jessica said that Kaiden, now weighing 9lb 7oz, has never been better.
She said: "He laughs a lot - or he tries to, but it's hard for him because he's at least hard of hearing in both ears, so doesn't know himself how to laugh properly.
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"We don't know how long this will affect him, or if this is lifelong but we're there to look after him and to love him no matter.
"Now he's very happy, and so much better after all the treatment he's had.
She added: "He's such a cheeky chappie as well. He will giggle a lot when they're around and make him laugh.
"Kaiden means the world to us, and we don't think we could be happier."
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