ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Athelia (disease)

Athelia is a rare medical condition where a person is born without one or both of their nipples. It's like when you have a sticker on your shirt and you peel it off, but instead of the sticker being there, it's like it was never there in the first place.

Usually, when a baby is born, they have two nipples on their chest. These nipples are like little bumps that stick out a bit. They are usually in the same place on both sides of the chest, kind of like a mirror image. But in some cases, a person with athelia is missing one or both of these bumps.

Now you might wonder why nipples are important. Well, nipples are not just there to look pretty, they actually have a very important function. They are a part of the body that helps babies get the food they need when they are very little. Mommies who have babies can use their nipples to feed their little ones milk.

But having athelia doesn't mean a person can't have babies or feed them. There are other ways to feed a baby, like using bottles with special nipples that can give them milk or using a special tube to give them food.

Athelia can sometimes happen because of something called a genetic mutation. Our bodies are made up of tiny building blocks called genes, which are passed down from our parents. Sometimes, there can be a mistake or change in these genes, and that can cause things to not form the way they are supposed to.

Having athelia is not usually a big problem for a person's health. It might make them look a bit different, but it doesn't mean they are sick. In fact, there are many people who have athelia and lead perfectly healthy and happy lives.

So, while having athelia may be a little different from what most people have, it doesn't stop a person from doing anything they want to do or make them any less awesome. It's just a part of what makes each of us unique!