US baby born with no arms and legs defies odds and is now gearing up to start school

A baby who survived against the odds after being born with no arms and legs is now gearing up to start school in September.

Jasmine Self, 27, gave birth to little RJ despite being told during her pregnancy that he would be severely disabled.

At five months along, an ultrasound scan revealed her little one's limbs were not developing.

RJ suffers from tetra-amelia syndrome – defined as the absence of all four limbs, as well as severe malformations of the face, heart, nervous system, skeleton and genitals.

The condition is caused by a genetic mutation in a section of DNA that plays a critical role in development.

It affects just a handful of families worldwide and most babies who suffer from it die before or shortly after birth.

Upon hearing the news, Ms Self and her boyfriend Rondell Wilson were distraught but decided not to give up on their baby.

The youngster arrived in September 2018 weighing just 2lb 4oz (1kg) and spent the first two months of his life in intensive care.

And, against all the odds, the youngster is now thriving at his home in Florence, South Carolina.