MIA Griggs was born without a built-in voice that says "enough already, you're full".
<!-- google_ad_section_end(name=story_introduction) --> <!-- // .story-intro --> <!-- google_ad_section_start(name=story_body, weight=high) --> So her mother, former ballerina Joanne Griggs, went on a relentless quest for help and turned up a cactus extract that may be employed to cure obesity.
A daily dose of the cactus powder has curbed Mia's weight and appetite for three years so that she can attend school and manage her rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi syndrome.
Now Victoria University is testing the plant's role in suppressing the hunger of 40 overweight people.
Nutritional therapist Michael Mathai, who is conducting the three-month trial, said yesterday the cactus had been used by Indians during subcontinental famines for centuries. While it is on sale in several countries, including Australia, there has been little scientific study of the plant's impact on appetite.
"This is very exciting for us because of the potential to reduce obesity" he said. "Clearly, Joanne's had tremendous success with Mia and it's time to find out if this plant has a role in treating a growing health problem in Australia."
Mia, 5, has no chromosome 15 which slows metabolism and leads to insatiable appetite.
Mrs Griggs had never heard of the condition but because Mia was a twin her mother became concerned by the developmental differences between her children.
"Mia's's brother Ruben was like a little developmental style manual sitting right there and I quickly grew worried by her low muscle tone," she said.
After initially suspecting cerebral palsy, the Griggs saw a television show on Prader-Willi, which highlighted the worst behavioural symptoms of children afflicted with the disorder.
When Mia was about two years old, her parents noticed her uncommon interest in food. One serving was never enough. "We were out for Father's Day having fish and chips and Mia kept going for the chips and we decided then that we'd have to get right on top of this," Mrs Griggs says. She and her husband, Adam, searched everywhere for remedies and stumbled upon a report of the cactus that has changed their life.
"It's been a godsend," she says. "On the first day we used it we noticed a difference. Our expectations are now very high for her independence because now she can concentrate on things other than food."
Their experience echoes the true story of the film Lorenzo's Oil about a couple who found relief for their son's profound disability through ingenuity and determination. Today Mrs Griggs will launch her book Miracle in Potential, which chronicles the ups and downs of dealing with their daughter's condition. "I want to help others. I want to tell people they can do a lot themselves to help their child live a normal life."
The cactus extract is only one of many strategies used to help Mia strengthen her muscles and quieten the emotional volatility associated with her disorder. On windy days they would take Mia to the beach to stimulate her interest in the world outside the kitchen.
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