On Monday (17 Feb), TikTok user @sitiazah87 posted a video of her son’s first day at school in Johor, Malaysia — just like any other proud parent would.
However, the clip captured something a little different.
Instead of walking upright like his classmates, the boy crawled on all fours, using his hands in slippers to assist his movement, a necessity due to his condition.
His mother can be heard cheering him on in the background, encouraging him to move forward alongside the other children.
The video quickly went viral, amassing almost 3 million views and more than 129,000 likes.
Speaking to mStar, Siti Azah Mohd Jinal, 38, explained that her five-year-old son, Muhammad Shairid Hadif Ridhuan Shah, has Caudal Regression Syndrome (CRS), a rare birth defect that caused him to be born without knees and calves.
Source: @sitiazah87 on TikTok
Despite his condition, Siti Azah is determined to provide Shairid with the same opportunities as other children, allowing him to grow up in a normal environment.
She recalled how Shairid’s teachers initially hesitated to let him queue with his classmates from the canteen to the school assembly.
However, Siti Azah insisted, not wanting him to miss out on these moments with his peers.
“The teachers weren’t at fault,” she explained, addressing some netizens’ comments about how Shairid appeared to be neglected in the viral TikTok. “It’s just that I was determined to let my son walk on his own.”
Source: @sitiazah87 on TikTok
Siti Azah says she wants her youngest of five children to lead as independent a life as possible.
“I want him to be like a normal person, moving freely and independently,” she said.
Shairid’s two older siblings, also at the school, help keep an eye on him.
Besides being independent, Siti Azah also described Shairid as an active, happy-go-lucky boy with a strong spirit.
“He understands when people are surprised by his condition,” she shared. “At school, some kids ask him why his legs are like that, but he doesn’t get upset.”
Fortunately, Shairid has not been targeted by bullies, although there have been instances where other children accidentally stepped on him, not noticing him on the floor — an occurrence captured in the viral TikTok video.
Source: @sitiazah87 on TikTok
“After that, they make sure to be more careful,” Siti Azah said.
While Siti Azah posted the video to raise awareness about children with special needs, she never expected it to go viral, as she had shared similar content about her son before.
Another video she posted in October 2022, showing Shairid as a baby playing with his older brother, also gained massive attention, racking up 4.6 million views.
Siti Azah hopes her videos will inspire others, especially other parents of children with disabilities.
Source: mStar
“Thank God, so many people care for and love Shairid,” she said. “I was truly surprised, but at the same time, I am incredibly grateful.”
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Featured image adapted from @sitiazah87 on TikTok.
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