Unable to communicate or to receive her love, a mother has spoken of the heartbreaking condition her daughter was born with.

Toddler Melodie Cook, from Stockton, is estimated to be only one in 1,500 people in the world with Phelan McDermid Syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disorder.

As a result the three-year-old is unable to speak, causing her to become violent through frustration, and suffers from numerous symptoms including accelerated growth and a very high tolerance to pain.

Mother Rebeccah, 27, said the condition has meant she is unable to hug or kiss her daughter because she lashes out when she tries.

Born at just 31 weeks, Melodie was diagnosed when she was 14 months but since the family have found doctors unable to help them.

"When she was born she was not a normal baby and spent a lot of time receiving care," she said.

"She would make faces as if she was crying but would never make the noise. She did not make any noise at all until she was two years old.

"She doesn't understand what people say to her and she can be violent but it all comes from frustration as she has no way of communicating with us."

Rebeccah said Melodie, due to her high pain threshold, will often hurt herself but not be able to tell them or even feel it.

She also suffers from seizures and only sleeps three nights out of seven.

"If I try to give her a cuddle or a kiss she would shove me away or pull my hair and it took me a long time to get over that, it was probably the hardest thing," she said.

"I want to show her so much love but I don't think she understands it. Sometimes I feel like I'm grieving for a child that is not dead. I don't know why she won't accept my love but she does it to everyone."

Ms Cook said she also has to do her best to look after her other two children - Alfie, five, and Whitney, eight - who she said are both really patient with Melodie.

Due to the rare nature of the condition, she said doctors have so far been unable to help them and said she is desperate for anyone to get in touch.

She also praised the role the Phelan McDermid Syndrome Foundation play in their lives, saying it was their only lifeline.

"I never ask the question of life expectancy because it terrifies me," she said.

"I just take each day as it comes and cross each bridge when I get to it."