# What kind of condition is this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 11, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083 "2010-05-11T18:53:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vertizontal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ad7895/32.png) [@vertizontal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vertizontal)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083/1 "2010-05-11T18:53:15Z")

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I saw a boy in a museum, about 13 or so, who appeared to have a condition I’d never seen before. Each of his hands had one thumb and just two fingers, and all seemed longer than average digits.  
Any idea what caused this?

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**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083/2 "2010-05-11T18:59:20Z")

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Is it ectrodactyly? Did he appear to have (or had) a cleft palate?

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083/3 "2010-05-12T00:08:02Z")

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According to a recent thread (that I can no longer find), he may be a time traveler from the future.

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**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083/4 "2010-05-12T00:35:15Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> According to a recent thread **(that I can no longer find)**, he may be a time traveler from the future.

Duh, you’re looking too early.

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**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-condition-is-this/539083/5 "2010-05-12T00:48:38Z")

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[Ectrodactyly image](http://www.healpastlives.com/pastlf/karmdict/ectrosyn.jpg).

Also google “Lobster Claw Syndrome”.