A six-year-old girl born with no fingers on one hand is set to be the youngest in the UK to be fitted with a bionic arm.<br /><br />Caitlin Hutson was born with only one fully formed hand due to a rare congenital condition.<br /><br />Her left hand did not fully develop giving what she calls her "nubbins" instead of fully working fingers.<br /><br />Despite her confidence as a keen acrobat and cyclist, she's unable to do up her coat or open an ice cream packet without help and becomes self-conscious out in public.<br /><br />But this is all about to change- if her family can raise the £13,000 needed for a bionic hand she will become the youngest to receive a 'Hero Arm' from UK-based company Open Bionics.<br /><br />Her family say Caitlin's confidence is deteriorating as people stop and stare at her whilst out so the Hero Arm will be "life-changing" for their little girl.<br /><br />Dad Terry Hutson, 45, an engineer from Wymondham, Norfolk, said: "Caitlin hides her hand under her sleeve- at her request we don't adapt any clothing so her sleeve dangles. <br /><br />"When we're out people will point. Some kids bother her too- they are tolerant but are interested so ask about it.<br /><br />"Some days she's happy to talk about it whilst other days she'll keep it hidden away. <br /><br />"But when I watched her first test out a bionic hand she lit up. Getting a bionic arm will give her confidence."<br /><br />Prosthetics are often only fitted from age eight, but this year Caitlin was deemed eligible for one by Open Bionics, a company which develops low-cost bionic 'Hero Arms'.<br /><br />Thanks to the muscles in her arm she's able to use the bio-electric sensors that link to the bionic hand, making it move as a normal hand would.<br /><br />The thousands the family aim to raise will give Caitlin a bionic arm which can be recast as she grows. <br /><br />The money will also be used to keep the arm upgraded with the latest updates and modifications so she'll be able to grab, pinch, high-five, fist bump and more.<br /><br />Terry said: "As her parents, it breaks our hearts when we see her struggle and we do our best to not just jump in and help her out. <br /><br />"We are so proud of her perseverance in never giving up trying to do something. We are not exaggerating when we say a Hero Arm will change her life."<br /><br />Terry and his wife Maria, 41, didn't know about Caitlin's hand abnormality, called Symbrachydactyly, until she was born.<br /><br />She was born with five boneless "fingers", a wrist and an underdeveloped hand on one arm.<br /><br />The determined little girl currently uses a specially designed socket to cycle with and a rubber Koalaa Mitt to help with her handstands and cartwheels. <br /><br />The active young girl currently wants to grow up to be like her mum, who is a swimming instructor.<br /><br />To help her achieve her dreams the couple has kept up to date with all the developments in prosthetics for their first child, who also have a son, age four.<br /><br />This meant they were delighted to find out Caitlin is eligible for her first hand at age six.
