This archive report was first published on 27 September 2019.
Published on September 27, 2019, a disturbing case has emerged in Russia where a two-year-old girl named Sofya Zakharova has been banned from attending nursery school due to her deformed skull.
The nursery school in Bashkortostan, Russia, claims that Sofya's deformed skull will scare other children, and therefore, she is not allowed to attend. However, Sofya's parents claim that they have been told that she will be enrolled once she has had surgery to change her appearance.
Medics are unsure of the exact condition that Sofya is suffering from, but it has left her with a wider skull and forehead, and some fingers and toes fused together. Experts have warned that Sofya's development could be damaged if she is not given the chance to interact with other children.
Ekaterina Belan, an educational psychologist, emphasized the importance of interactions for Sofya's development, stating, "The sooner she gets the experience of interactions, the easier it will be for her to cope with the conditions in which she lives and grows."
Local charity Rainbow of Goodness is fighting the case for the family, and the Bashkortostan government has promised to rehouse Sofya and her parents before the winter.
