Courage of the boy who's growing old before his time as a result of rare genetic disorder

AT a time when other boys of his age are kicking a football around and enjoying the rough and tumble of childhood, 11-year-old Harry Crowther is having to deal with the ailments of the elderly.

• Harry Crowther was presented with the chief scout's commendation for meritorious conduct

Harry has a rare genetic disorder which means his body ages too fast. He is already wracked with the early stages of arthritis and his skin has started to age.

Atypical progeria syndrome is extremely rare – Harry is one of only 16 people in the world with the condition. It is believed he is the only child in the UK to have the syndrome.

The oldest sufferer of a similar condition lived to the age of 26.

But last night, his mother Sharon, a deputy manager at a preschool, described her son's "derring-do" attitude to coping with the condition, which means he ages five times faster than his friends.

"He just gets on with life," she said. "Harry is in mainstream school, is very bright and loving and enjoys what most boys enjoy, this being Scouts, The Simpsons, Xbox 360, Wii, swimming and riding his bike."

Yesterday, Harry was presented with the chief scout's commendation for meritorious conduct at Windsor Castle, following a St George's Day parade, "in recognition of his cheerful determination to continue scouting despite having to cope with many difficulties – his positive attitude is a true inspiration to others".

Harry said: "I can do a lot of things other children can do, but sometimes it stops me doing what I like doing because I ache.

"It feels weird and hurts most when I'm in bed. I get upset when people who don't know me stare, and its annoying going to hospitals." Harry and his mother, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, will be among five families from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London being flown to Majorca for a one-week stay to see this year's opening of the show Pirates the Ultimate Adventure.

Last year, the show's charity premiere raised more than 64,000 towards the Theatres for Theatres appeal at Great Ormond Street. Money raised is used to help treat children with complex neurological and craniofacial conditions by funding state-of-the-art operating theatres.

Mrs Crowther continued: "It's every boy's dream to be a pirate and Harry is very excited about going away." The youngster takes pain relief four times a day and does daily exercises to help loosen his stiff and aching joints. He has hydrotherapy once a week.

His mother added: "He knows what is going to ache and he knows his body. He knows what is happening to him.

"He knows what activities he can do so he will do them for a short period of time. At the end of the day, he is a normal happy little chappy. He just gets on with his life.

"It's just a sit-and-wait game. Because the change in Harry's gene is unique, doctors cannot say what's going to happen."

Harry was born without any complications, but was diagnosed at a specialist medical centre in the US when he was seven, after undergoing tests.