A volunteer with Flying Samaritans brings a small boy to the local physician for treatment. Based on the background information listed below, what is the most likely biochemical basis for the boy’s symptoms?
• The boy’s body is hunched over and he is barely able to walk on his own
• The physician noticed his wrists and ankles were thickened and enlarged
• The patient’s abdomen is distended and his breastbone is protruding
• The volunteer measures his height and it is at the 30th percentile for age
• The villagers live in a large cave during the day to avoid the hot sun
Everyday BioChem 