most forms of polydactyly are dominant. some are recessive. also, I’d imagine that (like many phenotypic characters) while there is one gene that has a great deal of control over the number of digits one has, probably there are other genes with varying levels of influence over the trait as well.
If he could play things other people couldn’t, the phonographic evidence is missing. He played a very rudimentary form of Chicago electric blues, often with a slide. There are probably players with four fingers who could cop his licks. He also attempted to remove one of the extra fingers with a penknife while drunk.
I guess “rudimentary” is in the ear of the beholder, But Hound Dog Taylor was plenty apt in his playing: moved right along with a great band, excellent slide work. But, to dispel ignorance, the extra finger had nothing to do with it. I couldn’t find an internet photo, but am looking at the photo on his last album now. Taylor was a long and lean man, with exquisitely long-fingered hands that facilitated his playing, but that didn’t include his extra finger. That was a tiny “dewclaw” appendage curled around the base of his pinky, pretty useless.
Now that that’s clear: fifty-six, Here’s to a healthy, happy son for you, and y’all will make the right decision when the time comes.
Mittens would be sufficient. Plus if the finger is relatively normal why remove it? Is this the superstitious middle ages or the 21st century?
Let it be a lesson in acceptance for the child and its peers. Let the child choose whether to remove the digit.
Thing is, though, that even they’d “fixed” the extra digit, the kids would likely find something else to make fun of. Kids are cruel - I have yet to meet a kid who hasn’t been teased for SOMETHING in their life. I got teased because of my name (Natasha), and because I didn’t like to wear socks. My sister was teased because she had red hair. My father was teased because he had an ear infection one year. A friend of mine’s daughter gets teased because her uncle is physically handicapped - and most of the kids have never even seen her uncle. Kids will tease anyone, for anything. It happens, and removing a bone in her toe wouldn’t keep her from getting teased. Better she gets it over with now and learns how to deal with it, I think.
I’m going to cast my vote for “leave it alone unless it’s a hindrance.” Cuz seriously, I wish I had several more fingers than I do, often.